


Good Days and Bad

by Vikki93



Series: Shades and Shadows [3]
Category: Shades of London Series - Maureen Johnson
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-14 04:59:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 35,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4551432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vikki93/pseuds/Vikki93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles in alphabetical order. Sequel to Life is Like a Song and Living Every Moment. It's set to be an exciting year for Rory. Engaged to Stephen and living happily with the squad, she is aware that life is made up of good days and bad. Fluff, smut, angst and lots of Story. </p><p>Stephen/Rory </p><p>Reviews are chocolate :)</p><p>Disclaimer: Characters belong to Maureen Johnson</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Another Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad celebrate the New Year and Rory and Stephen look forward to the life they are about to start building.

The tv was on but it was on mute. The screen showed reporters at Big Ben, waiting for the countdown to begin. It was still 15 minutes till midnight and they ran reels of the news highlights of the year. This was followed by the years number one songs. Inside the flat, Rory, Stephen, Boo, Callum, Freddie and Thorpe gathered around the living room table. While five of them were drinking the alcohol intake of all England, Thorpe had agreed to one red wine and then settled for lemonade. He did, after all, have to drive. It had already been decided, before the party had commenced at 6pm, that Freddie would be borrowing his spare room.

As they waited for the final countdown to start, they all raised their glasses and wished for good things in the new year. Rory stood thinking about everything that this year was going to give her. She and Stephen would soon be announcing who they had chosen to be their bridesmaids and groomsmen and Rory knew that she still had to decide who was going to be her maid of honour. Her parents were coming over from Louisiana for her 20th birthday and they were going to meet Stephen. She knew he was nervous about that but there was no need for him to be. She had to take Jazza, Boo and Freddie dress shopping. She was looking forward to that. And then the day itself. The day that Miss. Aurora Deveaux would become Mrs. Aurora Dene. Rory Dene. She loved the sound of it and often found herself saying it in the mirror. And then, hopefully not long after that, she and Stephen would be moving out of this flat into their own place. She lifted her hand and played with the heart pendent around her neck. She would never forget how Stephen had described it as his heart and how she owned it. She always fastened it as loose as it would go because then it fell over her own heart. She kept Stephens heart close to her own.

Sure, there would be ghosts to take care off and problems to deal with but she didn't mind. This was her life now. And she was learning to love every minute of it. She checked the time. 10 minutes till midnight. Not long now. In 10 minutes, the greatest year of her life would start. As she thought about it, she came to the sudden realisation that this was her last new year as a teenager. She was turning 20 soon. Bye bye teen years. She deflated a bit at the thought and slumped down on the couch. Stephen noticed and sat next to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Just realised that this is my last new year as a teenager."

He took her hand gently and leant back into the couch, facing her and she turned to face him. "True. But think about all the things we have waiting for us." She smiled softly as he spoke. "Just you and me starting a new life. Married life. It's big and scary but I can't think of anyone better to share it with. And there is no one else I'd  _rather_  share it with."

They sat there on the couch together, leant against each other watching the silent reporters on tv. Stephen laughed at Callum as he started dancing while Rory accepted another drink from Boo who sat on the arm of the couch. Stephen and Rory kept their hands linked the entire time. It was Freddie who noticed the one minute countdown starting.

"Guys, guys, guys!" She hurriedly grabbed the remote and put the sound back on the tv. They all stood up and waited for the final seconds. Boo went over to Callum who put his arm around her. Stephen and Rory still held hands. They listened as the crowd counted down.

"10...9...8...7..."

Stephen turned to Rory while the crowd kept counting. "This is it. New start, new life." She smiled at him brightly.

"4...3...2...1...happy new year!"

"Happy new year!" They all shouted together as fireworks rang outside of the apartment and on tv. New Years kisses were exchanged all round. Callum pulled Boo into his arms and dipped her as he kissed her. Stephen placed both of his hands on Rory's face and gently lowered his head to hers, catching her lips in his gently. Even Thorpe gave Freddie a quick peck on the cheek.

Stephen held the kiss as the crowd on the tv started to sing Auld Lang Syne, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs and silently promising her that his would be the greatest year of their lives. They heard Thorpe raise a toast telling everyone that he was "honoured to be here with friends. Here's to another year." They heard everyone echo "another year" as they finally broke apart slowly. They rested their foreheads against each other's and he moved his hands from her face, down her arms and laced his fingers through hers. "Happy new year darling."

"Happy new year sweetheart."

"You two." Callum's voice raised above the tv. They both turned to him with a smile. "Snogging later. Drinks now."


	2. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen and Rory take Callum, Boo, Freddie, Thorpe, Jazza and Jerome for a meal and make an announcement.

Stephen and Rory had booked a table for eight people. It was probably the biggest gathering of people the small Italian restaurant had ever had. In fact, they were probably not prepared for such a group as they had clearly had to push two four seater tables together. But, credit to them, they served the group happily and had candles lit for the meal.

Callum, Stephen, Rory and Boo sat together on one side of the table while Thorpe, Freddie, Jerome and Jazza sat together on the other side. Other than Stephen and Rory, only Boo had any real idea what was going on. She already knew one part of the upcoming announcement because Rory had asked her for advice on it. Together, they had very quickly come to the decision that was about to be announced to the group. After the meal and making sure that everyone's wine glasses were full, Stephen and Rory looked at each other and smiled before standing. Everyone's attention immediately returned to them.

Stephen spoke first. "We'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight and I guess you're all wondering why you're here. Well," he turned and smiled at Rory. "Tonight, we're making an announcement. I have decided who my groomsmen will be and who my Best Man will be."

"And I," Rory said. "Have decided who my bridesmaids are and who my Maid of Honour will be." She turned and smiled to Boo who already knew, having helped with the decision. A murmur of excitement passed over the table. She looked back at Stephen who indicated that she should go first.

"Ok. Freddie. When I met you, I thought you were a little intense. But that was maybe because it was a very intense time for me. But you are one of my closest friends and you will be for years to come. So, will you be one of my bridesmaids?"

Freddie put her hand over her mouth before smiling widely. "Yes, of course. I'd be delighted." Rory smiled back. "Thank you." She indicated for Freddie to stand and gave her an awkward hug across the table.

Then she turned her attention to Boo. "Boo, you have been my friend through the toughest times of my life. You kept me strong when no one else could and there is no way I can thank you for your friendship enough. All I know is that I want you up there beside me on my wedding day. Will you be one of my bridesmaids?"

Boo smiled brightly and nodded before standing up and giving Rory a hug. "I'd love too." Rory smiled. "Thank you."

Finally, Rory turned her attention to Jazza. "Jaz, what can I say? You were my first friend in England. We've laughed together, we've cried together, we've been through insanity together and yet, here you are. Still my friend. Most people would've abandoned me by now. In fact most people would've abandoned me after a week of sharing a room with me but you were always there. I love you to bits so, darling Jaz, will you be my Maid of Honour?"

Jazza let out a small squeal before standing and running around the table to Rory. It reminded her of the day she returned to Wexford and saw Jazza running towards her at dinner. She caught Rory in a massive hug, laughing and crying. "Obviously." Rory laughed as she pulled away. "Thank you."

Boo gave Jazzas arm a squeeze before throwing a wink to Rory. It had been obvious to Boo that Jazza should be the Maid of Honour and she knew then that it was the right choice. With a final hug from Rory and one from Boo, Jazza took her seat once more. Rory smiled at Stephen before he spoke. "Right. My turn, I guess."

"Thorpe. The ever mysterious Thorpe." Everyone laughed. "Not just my boss but also my friend. I understand that being our supervisor is not easy for you. It must be the weirdest babysitting job on the planet. But you've never given up on us and you've never given up on me. Will you be one of my groomsmen?"

Thorpe smiled and nodded. "Absolutely." He stood and shook Stephens hand across the table before resuming his seat. Stephen nodded. "Thank you."

Then his attention turned to Jerome. "Jerome, by rights you and I probably shouldn't be friends. But I'll never forget the way you helped us with the stone and, while there have been some awkward misunderstandings along the way, I do consider you a friend. You and Jazza are the two people Rory needs to keep some part of her life normal because you both loved her before I met her, before all of this happened to her. And I want you to have an integral role at our wedding. So, will you be one of my groomsmen?"

Jerome nodded and stood. "Stephen, I'd be honoured. Truly." He smiled at held out his hand and Stephen shook it warmly, returning the smile. "Thank you." Rory watched, tears filling her eyes, relieved at the way Jerome and Stephen accepted each other.

"Finally," Stephen said turning to Callum. "Callum. I know I've annoyed you in the past and I know we've disagreed over many things. But you are one of my best friends and you're like a brother to me. You always looked after me when I didn't know how to look after myself. And you were also the first one to find out about me and Rory." Everyone around the table laughed. "Callum, will you be my Best Man?"

"Mate," Callum said with a growing smile. "What do you think?" Stephen smiled as Callum stood and pulled him into a hug, clapping him on the back. When they pulled apart, Thorpe raised his glass. "To Stephen and Rory."

The rest of the company lifted their glasses and echoed "to Stephen and Rory" as the happy couple shared a kiss to the cheer of their friends.


	3. Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum keeps a promise he made to Boo which Boo realises will only cause more trouble. When dealing with the problem, the squad come face to face with a ghost who has a violent hate of Rory and they wonder if the Oswulf stone is still doing its job...

Stephen, Rory, Boo and Freddie sat in the flat. Stephen sat on the couch, leaning towards the table typing something on his laptop. The girls sat on the floor, huddled together around a magazine. Rory was playing with the heart pendant around her neck, the one Stephen had given her for Christmas. He kept smiling as he listened to them talking. "What about this one?" Rory would ask and Boo or Freddie would tell her that she'd "look amazing. Ooooh, look at that one." He wasn't allowed an opinion. Rory wanted her wedding dress to be a surprise to him. He knew that they were going dress shopping next week so Rory was in the final stages of picking which one she wanted. He briefly managed to hear that had she narrowed the selection down to about 15 - which made him chuckle as he typed - before Callum walked in.

Stephen raised his head from his laptop. "Hey."

"Hey." Callum, Stephen noticed, sounded decidedly deflated. Callum walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Stephen looked at the girls once more and noticed that Boo had watched Callum, a little bit on concern creeping into her features. Stephen stood and nodded to Boo, silently telling her that he would see what the matter was. Boo nodded back and returned her attention to the magazine as Stephen walked into the kitchen.

Callum stood staring at the kettle as it boiled. He didn't acknowledge Stephen walking in. "Callum? What's wrong?"

"Hmmm?" Callum looked up before shaking his head quickly. "Nothing. It's alright."

Stephen leant against the counter. "It clearly isn't. What's wrong?"

Callum sighed. "It's nothing. It's just..."

He turned to face Stephen fully. "There was a problem on the Tube today. At Lancaster Gate. Ghost messing with the switches."

"Why is that a problem?"

"Because it was crazy and I couldn't make it understand that I needed it to move. And I promised Boo I wouldn't use the terminus as much. I can't..." He sighed. "I can't break a promise to her. I love her more than anything."

Stephen frowned. "Well, if you explain that there's not much choice in the matter, I'm sure Boo will understand."

"I'll understand what?" Boo's voice floated in from the doorway and both of them turned to look at her. She stood at the kitchen door looking concerned. Callum sighed heavily and Stephen cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two to talk."

He left the kitchen and shut the door, leaving Boo and Callum alone. The kettle boiled and Callum turned around to pour himself his cup of tea as she walked toward him slowly. Her voice was soft. "Callum? What is it?"

His shoulders slumped as he turned to face her. His voice was sad. "There was a ghost at Lancaster Gate today. I tried to talk to it - him - but he didn't understand. He's messing with the switches and he's causing disruptions but I promised you - I  _promised_  - I wouldn't use the terminus as much. And I don't want to break that promise. I don't know what to do."

He hung his head and stared at his feet. He felt Boo's hand on his cheek, gently lifting his head. She smiled at him softly. "I love you. And I know you wouldn't hurt me, not even by breaking a promise." She nodded slowly. "Use it. There's clearly no choice."

He placed his hand over hers. "Are you sure?"

She smiled at him. "Yes."

He smiled back. "Right then. Actually, I have an idea. Let's all go, and if none of us can get any sense from him, we'll terminate him."

She nodded and they walked back into the living room to share the idea. They were all at Lancaster Gate within the hour. Rory looked around. "This seems familiar."

Stephen nodded. "This was the tube that had all of those problems when the Oswulf stone was removed."

Rory pursed her lips. "Oh."

Stephen took her hand and squeezed it as they descended into the tube. Callum stopped in his tracks when they reached the platform. His voice was amazed. "Son of a bitch, he's moved."

The platform was empty so he was easy to notice. The ghost stood, swaying as if caught in a breeze and staring at the wall. He turned his head when they approached gently. His eyes darted over all of them before fixing on Rory. He continued staring at her, cocking his head to the side as if trying to remember something. Rory, too, had a look of confusion on her face. Stephen looked at her. "Are you ok?"

"His face. I know it. I've seen it before."

She had barely said these words when the ghost snarled. Everyone's heads whipped from Rory to the ghost as it roared, eyes still fixed on her. "You!"

He sprang towards her, faster than she had ever seen a ghost move. No one could react quick enough and, when the ghost placed his hands around her throat, Rory felt her body shaking. She scrunched her eyes shut and saw the blinding light behind them. But the light was painful this time and it felt like it was ripping through her body. She screamed and fell to her knees as a floral smell entered the air. The man was gone. Rory tried crawling away from the smell and pain and almost crawled over the edge. She felt hands steady her as she vomited over the side. She could hear voices all around her, disjointed.

"It's alright sweetheart" - Stephen. He was the one holding her steady. She was vaguely aware that this was like the termination at Charing Cross after she had come back from Bristol.

"Shhh, you're ok now" - another voice at her ear. Boo. She was holding her hair back.

"I think I have water in my bag" - that was Freddie's voice.

"Shit, shit! Ror, I'm so sorry this happened. Shit! I should've just terminated the bastard this morning" - poor Callum. He was pacing behind her. This wasn't his fault. She heard Boo telling him that softly as she leant back from the edge.

She took a few deep breaths. Her voice was shaky. "I'm alright. I'm alright. I'm fine."

"The hell you are." Stephens voice was laced with panic. "I'm taking you to Dr Marigold." He gently helped her stand, Boo flanking both of them. Stephen nodded to her, indicating that he had her. Freddie handed Rory a bottle of water and Rory drank until the plastic crinkled. She handed it back with a smile and a nod before turning to Stephen. "I don't need to see Marigold. I'm fine."

"Rory, you screamed. Actually screamed. There's no way I'm taking you home without getting you checked out first." There was a finality in his voice which made Rory's heart melt. She loved how protective he was of her. She was the same with him. She understood his need to make sure she was medically ok. She relented with a nod and they all started to leave the station, Stephens arm protectively around Rory. Freddie stopped for a second. "Hang on though. There's one thing I don't understand." They all turned back to look at her. "Rory said she recognised his face and  _he_  clearly knew  _her_. How?" They all looked to Rory.

"I saw him in the sewers when we were putting the Oswulf stone down there. He was one of the faces in the cloud of white...fog...stuff, whatever the hell it was. He clearly recognised me as well." They all thought about that silently for a moment. If the Oswulf stone was still safely in place, how had he gotten through? Callum broke the silence. "Come on, let's get out of here. Rory needs to see Marigold."

They left the station, all of them unaware of the thin white fog sweeping along the tunnel floor.


	4. Dresses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory, Boo, Freddie and Jazza buy their dresses for the wedding

Rory stood in the changing room, fastening herself into her dress, allowing herself to think about the incident from the week before. Stephen had been keeping a close eye on her after what had happened at Lancaster Gate. Dr Marigold had told her that she was fine and just needed to rest so Stephen had taken her home and nursed her for the remainder of the day. But Rory could not get that man out of her head and she had woken in a cold sweat several times the past week. Stephen was always there to comfort her but she couldn't stop wondering how that ghost had gotten onto the platform. The Oswulf stone was safely in place and should've been holding the dead energy back. Why had it let that one through after it had dispelled him in the sewer? She shook her head with a sigh, determined not to worry about it. She closed her eyes and brought herself back to today.

Jazza had met Rory, Boo and Freddie at the flat and together they had come out to buy their dresses for the wedding. Their dresses were already sorted but Rory still had to chose between the five that she liked. They had all stopped in a cafe for a coffee and were chatting away while Rory took a final look at the photos of the dresses. She smiled as Freddie talked about her girlfriend and Boo talked about Callum. Jazza had said that there was someone she liked but she wasn't sure that anything would happen. She would have to wait and see. Then they had made their way to the dress shop and Rory decided to take the five dresses she liked to the changing room and told the others she would emerge only when she had decided and was wearing dress she settled on.

Rory took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She stared at her reflection in awe. This was the one she thought she liked best and had decided to try it last. She was right. This was the dress. The bodice and the skirt were white but the skirt split open down the side to reveal the layer underneath; a layer of red satin embroidered with white roses. The bodice was pinched at the waist which made the skirt flare and was topped with what reminded her of Belles dress from Beauty and the Beast - wide straps that went around the arms rather than over the shoulders. One of these ran down into a point under the bust. These too were red satin with white roses. A line of red roses ran down the side of the bodice to the top of the split in the skirt. The dress was floor length and flared out around her feet a little so she could walk without stepping on it. The back of the dress flowed out behind her. The gold heart she wore around her neck fell against her heart, giving the red of the straps a gold touch. She smiled widely and felt tears prick her eyes as she left the changing room.

Freddie, Boo and Jazza stood in the front of the shop looking at their bridesmaids dresses. They were simple, strapless, floor length gowns that flared out slightly at the waist. Jazza's dress also had a white sash around the waist since she was the a Maid of Honour. They were talking excitedly about which dress Rory would choose. Boo turned around to look into the back of the shop and her mouth fell open. She nudged Freddie and Jazza and they both turned around. Rory floated out into the front of the shop smiling brightly. "So, what do you think?"

Jazza squealed while Freddie nodded excitedly. "Oh, Rory. It's perfect. Absolutely perfect. You look like a goddess."

"What? I don't normally?" She pouted comically and they laughed.

Boo giggled. "You've made me want to marry you." She walked up to Rory and took her hands, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Just wait until Stephen sees you."

Rory grinned. "Do you like your dresses?"

The three of them replied that they did at the same time and Rory held out her arms. Boo, Freddie and Jazza went to her for a group hug. Rory sighed happily. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

Boo laughed. "Yeah it is. Stephens terrified by the way."

Rory furrowed her eyebrows. "Of what?"

"Of next month. He's meeting your parents, remember?"

"Oh yeah. That's gonna be interesting."


	5. Escape Impossble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen nervously awaits his first meeting with Rory's parents.

Stephen stood pacing the meeting room in Thames House. He wrung his hands and kept looking out the window down onto the street. He was waiting for the car to pull up. Today was the day he was meeting Rory's parents for the first time and he could safely say that he was terrified. What if they didn't like him? What if they disapproved of the marriage? It certainly wouldn't stop Rory from marrying him but he would be devastated for her if her parents weren't there. And it would be especially upsetting if they didn't get on today because it was Rory's birthday. They were over for her 20th and they both thought that it really was now or never.

He ran through the story in his head. The real story: he had been assigned to her during the Ripper case and found her to be the strongest woman he had ever met. She had dealt with Newman, a murderous ghost, and had become a human terminus. The Shadow Cabinet then charged him to protect her but he had already vowed to do that for the remainder of his life because he had loved her since the moment they met. What he didn't realise was that the remainder of his life was only three weeks after the Ripper incident because he suffered an epidural hematoma due to a car crash that he orchestrated to save her. He had died but not really died because she had held his hand and kept him from _really_  dying. Then she did a ceremony, came into the underworld to save him and brought him back, after which she joined the Shades - ghost hunting police. Now she and Stephen were getting married. It sounded crazy even to him.

The  _official_  story which he, Rory and Thorpe had come up with together: he had been assigned to her during the Ripper case and found her to be the strongest woman he had ever met. During the time she went missing, he was charged with finding her since there was already a degree of trust there. She came forward to him herself and she was placed in a witness protection programme because they didn't know if Charlottes disappearance was linked to the Ripper investigation and with Rory being the main witness from that case, everyone thought it best to keep her safe. She and Stephen had fallen in love and now they were getting married. Thorpe, their supervisor had offered them the privacy of Thames House so that they could meet.

He exhaled deeply and made one more circuit of the room, circling the table in the centre, before going back to the window. Thorpe and Rory had gone to pick up her parents from Heathrow and all that Stephen could do was wait. Another twenty minutes passed before he saw a car pull up on the street outside. He peered down at it and saw a shock of white hair emerge from the drivers seat. That was Thorpe. Unmistakeable. Then he saw Rory emerge from the back followed by two others. Her parents. They were laughing and joking so perhaps this would go better than he thought. However it went, this was it. All chance for a quick escape from the building were gone. He watched them enter the building and he backed away from the window. He smoothed out his hair, dusted the jacket he wore and adjusted his glasses. He exhaled a few times and ran through greetings in his head.

He heard voices in the corridor outside of the room, American accents similar to Rory's. And then the door opened. Rory came in first, smiled at Stephen and stepped aside to let her parents in. This was the moment she had been preparing for in the car. She had told them the  _official but definitely not real_  story about their relationship and they had seemed to accept it quite well. But this was definitely the moment that both she and Stephen had dreaded. The actual meeting.

"Ok." She turned to her parents. "Mom, dad, this is Stephen. He was assigned to me during the ripper case and since then he's been my greatest friend. I can't tell you how many times he's risked his life for me." _He's_ given _his life for me and I went into the underworld to bring him back,_  she thought. But there are somethings that you just can't tell your parents. "I owe him my life." She turned to face him as she finished. "And my happiness."

Stephen smiled at her warmly as she said that before turning his attention to her parents. He held out his hand to both. "Mr and Mrs Deveaux, it's an honour to finally meet you."

They both smiled at him warmly as they shook his hand, her father first, then her mother. Mr Deveaux spoke first. "Please, Stephen, there's no need for such formalities. The name's Frank."

"And I'm Louise." Mrs Deveaux said.

Stephen nodded and felt himself relax. "Frank, Louise, I'm delighted to meet you both. Your daughter is truly a remarkable woman." He threw a smile across to Rory who grinned as she sat at the table. Stephen gestured for her parents to do the same. Louise spoke softly as they walked. "That's very kind of you to say Stephen." Stephen took a seat next to Rory while her parents sat opposite.

Thorpe knocked on the door as they sat. "Everyone ok in here? Can I get anyone anything? Teas, coffees?"

"Coffee please." Frank said with a smile. His wife spoke next. "Coffee for me as well please." Rory laughed and asked for a hot chocolate while Stephen asked for tea. When Thorpe left, Frank pouted comically. "Forgive me for saying so Stephen, but I can't understand how the English can drink hot tea." Stephen laughed as Rory spoke. "I know, I tease him about it all the time."

"As I understand it from Rory," Stephen said, "the Deveauxs are iced tea drinkers."

Louise grinned. "You understand correctly."

"They actually sell iced tea in the stores here," Rory said. "I stock up on it."

"Yeah," Stephen agreed. "Our fridge is full of iced tea."

They all laughed as Thorpe came back with the drinks. They all thanked him and he nodded at Stephen, silently asking him how it was going. He smiled widely in return. It was going well. They continued talking for an hour before Rory reminded them that the day was waning.

"Ahh, yes," Louise said. "We leave tonight and we wanted to explore London before we do."

Stephen nodded with a smile and they all stood. They walked out of the room and and out the building still chatting. Rory turned and gave Stephen a kiss before she let her parents say goodbye. They stood back politely until Rory moved away at which point Frank approached him. "Well, my daughter as certainly chosen well. You are very welcome in our family." He held out his hand with a smile and Stephen shook it, pleased. "Thank you, Frank." Louise came to him next and gave him a hug before Rory came back to him. She took him aside for a moment.

"Well, they like you."

"Thank god."

"See? Everything was fine. I'm gonna show them around and then I'll be seeing them off on their plane again, so I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight. Have a wonderful day."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**********

Stephen, Freddie, Callum and Boo sat around the table that night. They had ordered a takeaway and were discussing the approaching wedding day. Callum asked Stephen if he was getting nervous and he replied that he no longer had anything to be nervous about. The front door opened seconds later and Rory and Thorpe walked into the room. The group smiled at them both. Stephen stood and walked over to Rory, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her. "Hey."

"Hey," she smiled up at him.

"Did you enjoy your day?"

"I did. My parents really like London. And you. They were singing your praises for the rest of the day. They kept telling me I'd made a good choice and found myself a good guy. But, of course, I already knew that."

He chuckled and kissed her again. She smiled as they broke apart. "Hmmmm, I smell pizza."

"Yeah, we got a takeaway. We put a few slices away for you and Thorpe."

"Thank you." She walked over to the table and greeted everyone before grabbing a couple slices of pizza. Boo walked into the kitchen and came back with a surprise birthday cake. Rory grinned and they all sang happy birthday to her before they all produced the presents they'd been hiding. The night wore on and Thorpe left at half ten. Everyone else went to bed around eleven. Stephen and Rory went to their room and, as she walked over to the bed to get her pyjamas, she felt Stephen spin her round. He kissed her before slowly lying her down on the bed. She giggled as he crawled on top of her and moaned softly when he ground his hips against hers. His voice was husky. "Since its your birthday, I think we should play a game."

"Oooooh? Do tell."

"I think we should play cops and robbers. I'll be the cop. You can be the robber."

She chuckled. "What have I stolen?"

He smiled down at her lovingly. "My heart."


	6. Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squad reflect on their lives and realise that, despite everything, they're actually fine.

When she was 17, Rory Deveaux came to England to live a normal life. She was going to go to a normal school, make normal friends, take normal exams and be normal. But then she choked at dinner and nothing was normal again. She developed the sight. She met the Shades. She was nearly killed by the ghost Ripper. She was turned into a human terminus. She was kidnapped by a cult hell bent on defeating death. She watched the man she loved die to protect her. She tried to make him a ghost though she knew she could never touch him again but anything was better than losing him. She accidentally kept him from dying completely. She performed a ceremony and resurrected him. She had went head to head with crazy twins. To say her life was far from normal would be an understatement. But, strange as it was, this life was hers and she was happy. She had just turned 20, was an official member of the squad and would very shortly be marrying Stephen and embarking on yet another new life with him. And she had to admit that she was fine.

When he was 14, Stephen Dene was shipped off to Eton while he was still struggling with the death of his older sister. Oh, he tried to be normal but he could never quite manage it. He was always too quiet, too serious. And one night, when he was 17, he tried to end it all. But he was stopped and now he had the sight. He went to a mental hospital for a while until he was recruited to the Shades. He would be their leader. He would restart it. Now he had a life he could live. When he was 19, a copycat Jack the Ripper struck London and it was soon established that he was a ghost. Only one girl, a girl called Rory Deveaux, had seen him and she went into the protection of the Shades. And she never really left. He would do anything for her. He would die for her. And one day, he did. But she brought him back. She brought him home. And now he was nearly 22 and, in just a few weeks, Rory would be his wife. He never expected his life to turn out this way but it was his and he was happy. And he had to admit that he was fine.

When she was 19, Boo Chodhari had a normal life. She was a party girl who could make friends with anyone. One night she had gotten into her friends car although she knew her friend was too drunk to drive. She was too drunk to stop her. The car crashed and she developed the sight. She was helped from the wreck by a strange woman in a World War Two uniform. She was called Jo and she was a ghost. She became her best friend. The Shades found her and she started her training. When she was 20, she was given her first assignment. She was to go undercover and protect Rory Deveaux, the only witness in the Ripper case. When Rory learned the truth, it was Boo who helped her accept it and they became fast friends. She had watched as Rory recovered from her attack. She had watched as two of her dearest friends grew closer. She had watched as one of them died and the other fought to bring him back. Now she was 23 and soon she would watch as they married each other. Perhaps it wasn't the life she was ever expecting to lead but she had to admit that she was fine.

When he was 15, Callum Mitchell had been on his way to becoming a professional footballer. But that changed one day on his way to school. It was December and it was cold and raining, and he had decided to take a shortcut through an estate. It was abandoned and about to be knocked down and he shouldn't have been in there. He stepped into a puddle when it happened. He saw a live wire fly up and land in the water. He felt the currents run through his body and developed the sight. He saw the boy that did it. He was laughing. Callum begged. The ghost put the wire back in the water. From that day onwards, Callum hated ghosts and when the Shades found him and gave him a terminus, he realised his true calling. When he was 20, Rory Deveaux was brought to the flat to have the sight explained to her. And then she was practically a member. He found her and Stephen kissing. He watched her try to turn Stephen into a ghost. He watched as she searched for him devotedly. Now he was 23 and he would watch them marry. And he had to admit that he was fine.

When she was a teenager, Freddie Sellars had been normal. She had been looking forward to the holiday she was about to go on. Her father was doing research in Turkey and her mother and herself were going with him. She had done the normal thing that you do on holidays and went for a swim in the sea. But she got stung by a jellyfish and developed the sight and nothing was normal again. She immersed himself in history trying to understand her abilities. One day she came across Jane Quaint but she made her uncomfortable so she left. She had stumbled across the Shades by accident and had helped locate Rory when everyone thought she was missing. And things got even weirder from that point onwards. She had helped Rory when she was trying to find Stephen. She helped find a magic stone that could hold back the energy of the dead. She helped replace said stone when it was removed. She received official training and joined the squad. And now here she was, soon to be a bridesmaid at Rory and Stephens wedding. And she had to admit that she was fine.

A few years ago, Thorpe had a normal life. Well, as normal as can be expected when you work for MI5. But he had no reason to complain. But things stopped being normal when he heard the history of the Shades. Were they serious? Really? Ghost police? This must be some kind of joke. But no, it wasn't. And it was when he met 17 year old Stephen Dene that he realised just how serious everyone had been. He liked Stephen. He helped him understand things he thought he never could. Things would never be normal again, at least not in the traditional sense. But while everyone sniggered at the Shades, Thorpe defended them. They were his team and his friends. Rory was an unexpected addition to the group. Thorpe could see how Stephen felt about her from the start. And after he died, it was clear that she felt the same about him. She had went beyond the call of duty to bring him back. And now it was only a few weeks until their wedding. He had, despite Rory and her parents telling him he needn't, bought her wedding dress and was excited for them. And he had to admit that he was fine.


	7. Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory has a nightmare in which the blame for Stephen's death is placed on her

"You need to go back. Right now. Before this gets anymore serious."

Stephens face swam in her mind as he spoke. She heard herself talking though she wasn't aware of moving her lips. "I'm not going back. You know I can't."

And then she was walking although she wasn't intentionally moving. She was going to Janes house although the her mind fought it.  _No, just go back to Wexford like Stephen said or something bad will happen_. And then she was in a car. How did she get there? Hadn't she just been walking? Jane was driving but she was bleeding. Her throat had been slashed, but she was still talking about defeating death. She lurched forward as the car collided with another and then Stephen was there again, but he was hurt. And then the scene changed. Maida Vale.

"Head wounds always bleed a lot."

_No, go to the hospital! Go now!_  Her mind screamed at him but she said nothing. She followed him through to the bedroom but when she walked through the door, she found herself in the Highgate house. Stephen wasn't there but Callum and Boo were. Callum looked at her threateningly. He approached her slowly. "You got him into that accident."

Boo was shouting. "Rory did not kill Stephen!"

_Yes I did,_  she thought. _I should've gone back to Wexford like he told me_. She tried to back away and crashed into someone behind her. She turned to see Stephen, pale and cold and dead. He was staring at her through crooked glasses. His head was bleeding. "You need to go back."

"Oh god." She ran past him out of the door but he was outside too. He stared at her accusingly. "It wouldn't have happened if you had listened to me." And then he fell. The street melted into Marigolds living room and he lay there on the ground, unmoving. Sid and Sadie were awake and laughing with Jane. Janes laugh was croaky. She still had no throat. Rory shook Stephen. He should be awake. Callum was there again. "You got him into that accident."

She cried. "No...no... I can bring him back."

Callum nodded. "Dead is dead."

She wept. "No..."

His head was bleeding again. She put her hands over the wound to stop the blood, but it wouldn't. And then she felt Sadie pull her away and hold her back. Sid killed them all, one by one. Callum, Boo, Thorpe, Freddie, Jerome, Jazza and Marigold. Then he walked over to her. She looked at Stephen on the floor. He was sitting up now and smiling at her darkly, as if he knew she was about to get what she deserved.

Sid spoke clearly. "You see, my little diamond, if you had gone back to Wexford, he would never had died. And if he had never died, me and my darling sister wouldn't be here now. And if we weren't here, your friends," he waved his knife around the room, pointing at her dead friends, "wouldn't have just been killed by me. So, you see, _it's all your fault_."

He raised his knife and brought it down on her. She screamed...

And found herself sitting upright in Stephens arms. Real Stephen? Or dead nightmare Stephen? Her brain couldn't tell her at the moment so she screamed again, pushing him off. "Rory! It's alright. Calm down, calm down. You're alright. It's just me. Sweetheart, it's me."

She inhaled deeply as her senses came back. She was in their bedroom. He was there with her. He was real. When she saw him, she sobbed and threw her arms around his middle. He held her tightly. "Shhhhhh, it's ok now. It was just a nightmare."

She screamed heartbroken cries against his chest as a knock sounded on the door. Freddie, Callum and Boo gently peered in, bleary eyed. They'd clearly all just been woken by Rory's scream. Freddie and Boo looked at Rory with worry. Although he had just woken up, the scream from Rory and the sight of her weeping quickly made Callum alert. "Is everything ok?"

Stephen nodded gently, cradling the still half sobbing, half screaming Rory. "Just a nightmare. She'll be ok. Thanks guys."

They all nodded and quietly left. "I'll get her some water," he heard Boo say as she shut the door. Her screams had turned to sobs, and he stroked the top of her head as she worked through the terror and grief the nightmare had caused her. He whispered softly to her, telling her that it was ok, he was here, he always would be, that she was safe, that everyone was safe. The door opened gently again and Boo crept in with a glass of water and placed it on Rory's bedside table. Stephen mouthed silently to her. "Thank you."

She nodded and gave Rory a rub on the back before leaving the room. Her sobs slowly dissolved into gasps for air as she steadied herself. He felt her relax against his chest. They sat like that for a few moments before Rory pulled away gently. When he looked at her, his heart broke. Her eyes were red and several tear tracks had stained her cheeks. She sniffled as he kissed her forehead. "The underworld again?"

She tried to speak but coughed instead so she settled for a small shake of her head. He looked at her confused. "What was it then?"

She sniffed again. "It was you...telling me to go back to Wexford. But I didn't. And Callum told me that I'd done it...that I got you into that accident. And then Sid and Sadie killed everyone...and they said it was my fault." Her words were lost to fresh sobs as she remembered and Stephen leant across to her side of the bed to retrieve the water Boo had brought.

His voice was soft and small. "Here you go, sweetheart. Drink this."

She took the glass and drank between sobs. Stephen spoke gently. "It wasn't your fault. None of it. I swear to you that no one blames you for what happened. You know that. Sid and Sadie can't hurt anyone. Try not to think about it. Think about everything since then, everything that's happened in these past two and a bit years. Think about what's going to happen. The past is the past. It can't hurt us now." He took the now empty glass and put it back on the bedside table. He took her hand and held it up so they could both see her engagement ring. "Think about the future.  _Our_  future together. Think about the home we're going to make together and the family that we might have."

She smiled at him. He smiled back and kissed her before she cuddled into him once more. She heard his heart beating and calmed herself fully to the sound of it. He was right. The past was gone and the future was theirs.


	8. Holy Matrimony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Stephen's wedding day; the ceremony

"Stephen, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

The day was finally here. He had woken that morning nervous but excited. He had fumbled with his tux and Callum had to help him with a lot of it. Then Callum had went to check on the bride and came back smiling. "Just wait till you see her." The three bridesmaids had been accompanied down the aisle by the groomsmen: Callum had walked Boo down the aisle, Thorpe had walked Freddie down the aisle and Jerome had walked Jazza down the aisle. Jerome now sat with Thorpe on his side while Callum stood beside him as best man. He had faced the front as the wedding march started. He had taken a deep breath before he had turned around and saw Rory being accompanied by her father. When she had told him that she had found the perfect dress, he had smiled. Now he understood what she had meant. The white and red gown peppered with white roses made her look like a goddess. But then, of course, she always did. Her beauty had made his breath catch and he could feel the tears of happiness starting then. And now it was finally time to dedicate his life to her. True, he had done that the second he had met her, but it was time to make it official. His hold on her hands became stronger and his voice was confident. "I do."

"Then repeat after me.  _I, Stephen Dorian Dene..._ "

He took a breath. "I, Stephen Dorian Dene..."

" _Take thee, Aurora Deveaux..._ "

"Take thee, Aurora Deveaux..."

" _To be my lawfully wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part._ "

He couldn't remember a time when he had been as happy as he was now and his voice shook gently with happiness. Yes, of course he would love her. Yes, of course he would cherish her. He always had. He always would. "To be my lawfully wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

Rory's bottom lip quivered at the last part and she smiled at him and whispered. "Even that can't part us."

He smiled at and nodded, biting his lip to keep from crying. "Even that can't part us."

They gazed at each other a moment before their attention was taken by the reverend. "Aurora, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

She giggled. "I do."

"Then repeat after me.  _I, Aurora Deveaux..._ "

She exhaled gently. This was really happening. "I, Aurora Deveaux..."

" _Take thee, Stephen Dorian Dene..._ "

She remembered when she had discovered his middle name was Dorian. It was on his intake form. She remembered how desperate she had been to find him and it showed in her voice. "Take thee, Stephen Dorian Dene..." Stephen laced his fingers through hers.

" _To be my lawfully wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part._ "

She swallowed hard and smiled brightly. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. The moment she made Stephen her husband. She remembered coming to England and imagining someone by her side. That person was Stephen. "To be my lawfully wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, _till death do us part_."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she finished her vow and Stephen squeezed her hands. His voice was a whisper. " _It never can._ "

She smiled at him softly as the reverend continued. "Let us now have the rings brought forward."

Rory turned around to retrieve a ring from Jazza who, along with Boo and Freddie, was weeping, while Stephen turned to retrieve one from Callum who was sniffing a great deal. When they had the rings, they faced each other again and started giggling. Stephen took Rory's hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on it, before slowly and gently placing the ring on her finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Rory, in return, took Stephens hand, beautifully warm and alive, and slipped the ring onto his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

He sighed happily as he watched the ring slide onto his finger. He was hers, now and forever more. He met her gaze and saw that she was smiling through tears that threatened to spill. Their smiles only widened as the reverend finished. "By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Rory giggled a little as Stephen lifted the veil over her head. He gently stroked away the tear track, cupped her face with his hands and lowered his head to hers. He rested his forehead against hers for a few seconds. His voice was inaudible to all but her.

"This is too good to be true. I think I'm dreaming and I'm scared to wake up."

"Don't worry. You're not dreaming. It's true. I'm yours. And you are mine."

And with that, he closed the gap and kissed her. When their lips met, they both knew that it was a soft and gentle promise to look after each other forever, to never give up on each other and to always be there for each other. They heard the crowd cheer and clap but their attention lay sorely on each other. He broke the kiss gently.

"I love you... _Rory Dene._ "

Rory sobbed happily and giggled. "I love you too."

He kissed her again.


	9. Ideal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Stephen's wedding day; the reception.

Rory Deveaux had enjoyed several wonderful days in her life but only one that was ideal. Only one that was perfect. And that day was today; the day she became Rory Dene. The ceremony had finished a few hours earlier and now everyone was enjoying the reception. She and Stephen had thought for a long time about the date. For a while, they wondered if they should make September 30th the happy day but neither of them wanted to wait a year to get married. They decided that their anniversary, two years to the day that he finally told her that he loved her, should be the date.

After the ceremony, they had stood outside the church and had the official photographs taken. She and Stephen had several taken of them before others were added to the shot. Rory had one taken with Jazza, Boo and Freddie and then Stephen had one taken with Callum, Thorpe and Jerome. The eight of them then stood together for a photo before Frank and Louise Deveaux joined for another group shot. Then Rory beckoned Jerome and Jazza over for a photo of the three of them together; herself and the first two friends she made in England. Stephen watched with a smile.

Then the group made their way to reception. Thorpe, Frank and Louise had pooled their money together and had managed to book the London Ritz for the reception. Everyone else had entered the hotel first, impressed with how beautiful it was. Rory and Stephen had then walked in hand in hand to the cheering of the crowd and were announced as Mr and Mrs Stephen Dene. Her heart had soared at the sound. They stood smiling while people came to congratulate them. The Deveauxs introduced members of the family that had flown over including the infamous cousin Diane and uncle Bick. "Welcome to the strangest family on Earth," Rory whispered. "I think they're brilliant," Stephen replied with a wide smile.

She and Stephen had then cut the cake. They had held the knife between them as they slid it through the cake, cutting pieces for themselves. Rory had picked up a piece and fed it to Stephen, desperately trying to cover him in cake but he managed to take it from her with no mess. The same could not be said for her and she ended up with cream on her nose. They both laughed as he picked up a napkin and wiped it off before giving her a kiss. The crowd cheered again. Thorpe came up to them and handed them a room key. "You've got the bridal suite." They both gasped and thanked him. They had been shocked to find that Thorpe and the Deveauxs had managed to stage the reception in the Ritz and even more so to find that they'd be staying there for a night.

Then Rory had pulled up a chair and sat in it while Stephen called over the single males. He got down on his knees and slowly slid his hands up her leg until he had reached her first garter at her knee. The crowd wolf whistled and he grinned as he slid it off and threw it to the men. It was caught by Jerome. He and his girlfriend had split up a few months beforehand. Rory found it highly amusing that he had caught the garter while Jazza had caught the bouquet. Maybe they would get together. Now  _that_  would be interesting. She decided that she would like that. She turned to Stephen and whispered in his ear. "I imagine you'll enjoy taking the second garter off. It's a little bit higher up leg than my knee." She pulled away to look at him and saw him smirking. "Oh, I'm sure I will."

And then came the dancing. They had let others dance first while they relaxed for a few minutes. Callum pulled Boo into a dance while Rory watched Jerome offer Jazza a dance. Maybe she was imagining things but the two of them had seemed closer lately. Maybe it was time to play Cupid. Or perhaps things would develop by themselves. They were both going to Stephens birthday party next month. If nothing had happened by then, she would help it along. And then the music stopped and Stephen stood, held out his hand and lead her to the floor. He held her close, ready to dance and the band began to play an acoustic version of their song.

When she heard the first notes on the piano, her breath hitched. She had let Stpehen choose the song and he had chosen perfectly. Her lip quivered slightly as the singer started. " _Baby, join me in death..._ "

Stephen rested his forehead against hers and swayed her gently to the piano before he whispered along with the singer. " _Baby, join me in death..._ "

He felt her nod gently and he kissed her. She scrunched her eyes shut to hold back the tears and the rest of the world fell away as she danced with Stephen. The crowd had spoken of the interesting song choice while Boo, Callum, Freddie and Thorpe exchanged knowing looks. If ever there was a song to describe them and what they had been through together, it was that one.

After their first dance was finished, other couples took to the dance floor once more while Rory and Stephen continued to hold each other, both of them wiping away happy tears. They both went to sit on the head table. Callum sat on Stephens side while Jazza sat on Rory's. Boo, Freddie, Jerome and Thorpe sat on a table just next to the head table. And that's where they were now, enjoying the champagne and cake. Rory fiddled with the heart around her neck before Stephen took her hand and kissed it. Callum stood and tapped his glass and all turned to look at him. Rory felt Stephen squeeze her hand a little and they both exchanged funny looks of nervousness. It was time for the speeches.

Callum cleared his throat. "Ok. So, as I understand it, I have some kind of speech to make. Too bad I've left my notes at home." The crowd laughed while Stephen shook his head gently. He was smiling. "Seriously though. Rory, Stephen," - he turned to face them - "the three of us have had our ups and downs and while those downs were  _pretty massive_ , the ups have been far more numerous, and I couldn't be prouder to call both of you my friends. I have seen both of you go through so much together. I have seen you go through things that should've ripped the pair of you apart" - he raised his eyebrows at the pair of them, silently telling them that he was talking about Stephens death - "but, not only did you come through those things, you came through them stronger. If that's not love, I don't know what is. I know that everything you two face, you will do so together and nothing will tear you apart. I can't think of two people more perfect for each other than you two. And so" - he addressed the crowd again - "if you would all join me in raising your glasses to the Denes, here's to you both and many years of happiness. To Stephen and Rory."

The crowd echoed the sentiment as Callum sat. Stephen and Rory smiled at him and thanked him. Callum nodded to Jazza and they both turned to face her. She bit her lip nervously as Rory squeezed her hand. "You can do it." Jazza giggled nervously as she stood. "Right, so I guess it's my turn. Mines not quite as beautiful as Callums was but I'll give it a go. I first met Rory at our school, Wexford. She was my roommate and my instant best friend and we've been side by side ever since. I watched as she went to hell and back but she still always had time for me. Even now, we've long left school, she's married and about to start a new life and she still wants me around. I couldn't ask for a better friend. Stephen has protected her and cared for her for almost as long as I've known her and I thank him for that. And I know that he will always look after my best friend. Stephen, thank you for making Rory happier than I've ever seen her." Stephen nodded to her with a smile while Rory grinned widely at her. "So, to Rory and Stephen."

She sat as the crowd drank another toast and Rory gave her a hug. "That was gorgeous. Thank you." Jazza smiled as Stephen took her hand and thanked her too. Then, with a deep breath, he stood. Rory looked up at him in confusion before looking at Callum and Jazza. They both shrugged. She took Stephens hand and he smiled down at her before speaking. "I know the speeches are supposed to be about the bride and groom but I would very much like to make two of my own. Firstly, to Rory's family. It means a great deal to both of us that you've flown all the way from Louisiana for this. I don't have a relationship with my family so I can't thank you enough for accepting me into yours with such open arms. Thank you, all of you." The crowd cheered and clapped, and Rory was grateful that she'd told her family that guns weren't allowed in England or there may have been one or two joyfully fired bullets in the ceiling. She giggled as she thought about it. Stephen waited for the cheering to subside a little before continuing. "And secondly, to Rory herself." She looked up at him with wide eyes and he smiled. He took her hand once more. "You are the strongest person I know. What you have done for me, no one else could ever do and I am going to spend the rest of my life making sure you know how grateful I am to have you in it. You're not just my greatest friend, you are my first, my  _only_  love and now, my wife. Rory, you have made me the happiest man in the world. And I promise to make you the happiest woman."

She stood up slowly, wiping away some tears. "Stephen,"- she placed her hand on his cheek - "you already have."

They stood looking at each other while Callum and Jazza looked on. Jerome stood from his table and clapped. Thorpe stood next, followed quickly by Boo and Freddie. Then Callum and Jazza stood and soon the whole room stood applauding. Rory's hand fell to his shoulder as his hand went to her cheek and he pulled her into a gentle kiss. The night wore on with more dancing, more cake and more champagne. At 11pm, Rory leant over to Stephens ear and whispered seductively. "I think we should go and have a look at our bridal suite." He turned to look at her slowly, a smile creeping onto his face. "Oh yes?"

"Yeah."

His voice was low. "Would else do you think we should do?"

"I think we should go and consummate our marriage. Several times. In several places. In several positions. Then we should run a bubble bath and crack open another bottle of champagne. Then maybe consummate the marriage again before the water goes cold."

He chuckled. "And is sleep involved in your plan?"

"Oh yes. But not until tomorrow when we're back home. We should make the most of our bridal suite, don't you think?"

He chuckled again and kissed her. "I couldn't agree more." He stood and held out his hand. "Shall we, my darling?"

"We shall." She took his hand and stood and they both wished goodnight to the people they passed before he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the suite.


	10. Jerome and Jazza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Stephen's 22nd birthday party, Jerome and Jazza are acting nervously and Rory finds out why.

Stephens 22nd birthday started with a bang. Literally. Well, almost a bang. Ok, a termination. Marble Arch tube station had called in a problem and since Callum, Boo and Freddie were busy, Stephen and Rory were left to deal with it. They both felt a little concerned that yet another problem had come from the area that was supposedly protected by the Oswulf stone but since it was his birthday, they decided to deal with it as quickly as possible and get back to start planning that evenings party.

When they got back to the flat, they found Thorpe sitting in the living room. "Ahhh, happy birthday Stephen. Here you are. It's not much, but I imagine you'll have some lovely wedding photos for them." He handed Stephen some fancy photo frames with hearts on one and 'honeymoon' written on the other.

Stephen smiled at Rory. "They're lovely. Thanks."

Rory went to their bedroom. "I have the perfect pictures."

She came back with a photo album and removed the cellophane from the photos as they sat on the couch. She put her favourite wedding day photo of her and Stephen into the one with hearts and a photo of them taken next to the Eiffel Tower in the honeymoon one. Thorpe spoke again. "I have some good news for you. I've got a place for you. It'll be ready to view in two weeks. It's understood that if you say yes to it, you can move in immediately. And you won't have to worry about the rent. If you accept it, Her Majesty's government will be buying the property for you, so it will be yours and you need never worry about paying for it. It's not far from here, it's just over the river. About a 10 minute drive."

They looked at each other happily. They had a place to call their own. Rory smiled brightly. "Thank you."

Thorpe returned the smile. "You're welcome. Now, if you will excuse me. I have some business at Thames House. I will, of course, be back later for the party."

He nodded at them both before leaving. Rory turned to look at Stephen and threw her arms around him, laughing happily. He laughed as well, and swung her around. "Oh my god Stephen, just think. In two weeks, we could have our own place."

"That's the best news I've heard all day."

"Let's celebrate before the others get home. They'll still be a while."

"Celebrate how?"

She raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Oh. I see." He pulled her into a kiss before pushing her against the wall. She moaned happily into his mouth and her hands gripped his hair. She always liked it when Stephen was just that little bit forceful. Her hands ran down his body to his trousers, unbuckling his belt and undoing his zip as quickly as she could. She slipped her hand into his boxers and cupped him before she gently stroked him, earning herself a moan from him. She ran her hands back to his hair as he moved to her neck and began biting it as his own hands slid up the skirt she was wearing. He rubbed her on top of her knickers for just a moment before he slid them off of her. "Wait a sec."

"What...what's the matter?" She managed through her gasps.

"We need a condom."

She pointed the table behind her where her handbag sat. "Handbag."

He chuckled. "You keep condoms in your handbag?"

"Well, you never know when the mood might take us."

He chuckled again as he walked over and picked up her handbag, searching through it. He returned to Rory, who was eagerly pressed against the wall, and ripped open the condom with his teeth. She pushed his trousers down and he placed the condom on before pushing her skirt up. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him as he wrapped her legs around his waist and slid inside of her. She groaned into his mouth and moaned loudly as he bit her neck and dug his fingers into her thighs as he held her. After a few moments of moaning, sighing, gasping and swearing, they came together, screaming each other's names as they did.

* * *

The party started in the early evening with the usual suspects in attendance. Callum, Boo and Freddie all got home at various times that afternoon but Thorpe didn't arrive back until nearer 5pm.

Jerome and Jazza arrived together at 6pm, each carrying birthday presents for Stephen. They both gave him a hug before sitting down around the table. Everyone sang happy birthday to Stephen before he leant forward to blow out the candles on his cake. "Make a wish!" Boo said.

He looked across at Rory and smiled as he took her hand. "I already have everything I wished for."

A collected "aww" ran through the group as Stephen blew out his candles. He gave Rory a soft kiss before opening his presents. Then the music was put on and drinks were distributed. Rory went to sit by Jazza. Jazza, she noticed, was tapping her foot nervously. "Hey."

"Oh, hey Rory. Nice scarf."

Rory touched the silk scarf at her neck. She smiled. "Thanks."

"I've never seen you wear one before. It suits you."

"Well this is the first time I've worn one and to be honest," she lowered her voice so only Jazza could hear her. "It's hiding something."

Jazza looked at her questioningly. "Hiding what?" She asked with the hint of a laugh.

Rory looked around the room to see if anyone else was looking before she pulled down the scarf to let Jazza see her neck. Jazzas jaw dropped and she stifled a laugh. "Wow, Stephen can certainly leave some impressive hickeys."

Rory readjusted her scarf while she laughed. "Yes, he can."

Jazza smiled again before dropping her eyes to her feet. Rory looked at her for a second before looking for Jerome. He was tapping his glass and blinking a lot. Rory recognised that as a sign of nervousness. She turned her attention back to Jazza. "Jaz, are you ok? You seem...nervous."

"What? No, I'm fine." She sighed heavily.

"That's a sigh. That's not a sign of an ok Jazza." She put her hand on Jazzas. "Jaz, what's wrong?"

Jerome came over at the moment and looked down at Jazza before looking at Rory. "Rory, can we talk? You, me and Jaz?"

"Yeah of course. Come into the kitchen."

Rory stood and went into the kitchen with Jerome and Jazza. She shut the door for privacy. "What's up?"

Jerome and Jazza looked at each other and took deep breaths. Jazza spoke, a small shake in her voice, her words coming fast. "It's just that...well...me and Jerome...like each other. Really like each other. But, I'm your best friend and you two used to date and I don't want anything to be awkward and...and...and.."

Rory laughed. "Whoa, whoa, Jazza, slow down. It's ok. I already kinda knew. I've seen you two around each other lately. It's alright. I'm completely fine about it. Really. I have Stephen. It's really not fair for me to say you two can't date because me and Jerome dated for a little while in school. Honestly, it's fine. You're my best friend Jazza. I want you to be happy. And Jerome, I want you to be happy too. And if you make each other happy, that's wonderful. It really is." She smiled widely at them both.

Jerome and Jazza looked at each other. Jerome turned back to Rory and spoke. "Are you sure? Because if it makes you uncomfortable in any way-"

"Jerome." Rory approached the pair of them. She took Jazza's left hand and Jerome's right. She looked to Jerome. Her voice was happy and betrayed the laughter she suppressed. "I'm married. You were at the wedding. Do you remember? It was a month ago? You were one of Stephens groomsmen? We dated for a relatively short while nearly two and a half years ago. You've had a girlfriend since then and I have Stephen." She looked at him and tried to put on a serious face but she wanted to laugh too much. "I think it's ok if we see other people."

Jazza laughed at that and Jerome chuckled. Rory smiled at them both. "Guys, I love you. Both of you. Loads. You've both helped me through so much. You've both seen a world you can't talk about except with the people in this flat. You both helped me get my happy ending. Let me help you get yours." She took the hands she held and placed them together so that Jazza and Jerome were holding hands. They both looked at her with wide smiles and Rory nodded enthusiastically.

Jerome spoke, his voice happy. "Ok. Well then. Jazza, will go out with me?"

Jazza giggled. "Definitely."

"Woohoo! This is so awesome! My two best friends are dating!" Rory went back over to them both and the three of them hugged as Stephen walked in.

He smiled at them. "Happy news?"

Rory grinned as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. He placed one of his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Yep. Jerome and Jazza are dating."

Stephen looked over to them and smiled. "Wow, that's amazing. Congratulations, the both of you."

Jerome nodded as Jazza wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks Stephen."


	11. Killer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a tense discussion in the flat, Callum, Stephen and Rory head to Lancaster Gate tube station to deal with a dangerous ghost.

It was with a great deal of force that Callum slammed shut the flat door that morning. Rory, Boo and Freddie, all of whom had been sitting in the living room, jumped, while the sound of a spoon being laid in a mug came from the kitchen, followed a second later by a frowning Stephen. "If you could be careful with that door Callum, that would be great. We only have the one."

Callum turned to him with a scowl. "This isn't funny Stephen."

"Am I laughing?" Stephen folded his arms in front of his chest while the others watched the silent stand off. Eventually, Callum moved. "Goddamn it." He muttered under his breath as he escaped to his room and slammed that door equally hard.

Stephen looked at the girls and shrugged. "Anyone know what that was about?"

Rory shook her head. "No clue. This is the first I've seen of him all day. I think he left early."

"Yeah," Freddie agreed. "He must've because he doesn't wake me up if it's too early and he was gone when I woke up."

"Boo," Stephen said. "How was he this morning?"

They all looked to Boo who shrugged. "He seemed fine, yeah? He woke me up to give me a kiss, told me he loved me and then left. Everything was fine."

Stephen sighed. "Then I don't know what's wrong. We'll have to ask him. If he ever calms down."

"I'm sure he will," Rory said. "Just give him some time."

"Well," Stephen sighed. "At least he brought the mail up with him." He picked up the envelopes and shuffled through them. "Junk, junk, takeaway menu, junk." He stopped as he looked at one envelope marked for Mrs. Rory Dene and smiled.

Rory noticed. "What?"

"Nothing. It's for you. I'm just admiring the name on the front." He smiled as he handed her the envelope. Boo and Freddie smiled as Rory spoke. "We've been married for just over a month. I thought you'd be used to my new name by now."

He grinned at her. "I am. I just love seeing and hearing the name Dene follow Rory. I just love being your husband."

"And I love being your wife," she said, with an equally large grin.

"This is so sweet," Freddie said. "I think I'm getting cavities."

They all laughed at her as Boo leaned across to look at the envelope. "I thought that, officially, you were Mrs.  _Aurora_  Dene? That says Rory and its handwritten."

"I  _am_  Mrs. Aurora Dene but I'm fairly certain this is from my parents and they never call me Aurora."

"Ahh," Boo said as she leant back into the couch again. Callum came back into the living room a few seconds later. His bad mood had not abated. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his trousers and scuffing his feet across the floor. He was looking at the carpet as if it had just insulted his mother.

"So," Stephen said, turning to him. "What's wrong?"

"Lancaster Gate tube station. Again. There and Marble Arch have been nothing but trouble lately. That whole area has. Worryingly."

"Yes we know." Stephen agreed. "Me and Rory were at Marble Arch just last week. What's the issue at Lancaster Gate?"

"Ghost. Dangerous one."

"Terminated?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I ain't going near it." His voice dropped to a threatening level.

"Callum," Stephens voice dropped as well. "This is our job. Everyone in this room has to deal with potential problems. You have a terminus. It'll be ok."

"Stephen," he said, finally looking up from the floor, his voice rising. " _It threw someone onto the fucking tracks!_ "

The room went quiet at that statement. Rory's blood ran cold. This must be a strong ghost. The last ghost she met that was powerful enough to throw someone had been Newman. She and Boo exchanged a look. Freddie had gone pale. Rory looked back to Callum. "Is that person...dead?"

Callum turned his attention from Stephen to her. "Yes. She's dead. Train was coming in at the time. They've closed the whole station down."

Rory exhaled, trying to steady her quickened breathing. Boo put a hand on her arm in comfort. Stephen sighed loudly and ran his hands through his hair, pacing as he did so. "We have to terminate it. We can't let it continue. How many more could it kill?"

"Well, like I said, I'm not going near it. I may have a terminus but it could throw me before it did any good."

Stephen looked at him for a moment before taking off his glasses and cleaning them with his shirt. "So, what do  _you_  suggest we do?" He put his glasses back on and looked at Callum again.

Callums eyes darted to the couch and back. Stephen turned around to see where Callums eyes had darted to and whipped around again violently. His voice was deep and final. "No."

"Stephen-"

"You are not using Rory when we have two other perfectly good termini."

"Stephen, she's our best option. She could get it before it hurt her. Even if it touched her, it would go boom before any damage was done."

"And what about the damage that could be happening to her from being a terminus?"

"She's done it before-"

"When there was no other option. We have two other options right now."

"But it's not doing any damage to her. Marigold said she was fine after that really awful one."

"But it hurt her!" When Stephen yelled, it was something that you could feel vibrate in the pit of your stomach. He was shaking and so was his voice. " _You are not using Rory._ "

Callum stood for a moment, his voice becoming softer. "Mate, you know that I love her. She's a little sister to me. I would see nothing happen to her and I'd kill anyone who wanted to hurt her." He threw a small smile to Rory who gave a small one back. He continued. "But I think we both know that she's the one who would be safest from this bastard. And you don't want to admit it to yourself and I understand why. But she's our best option." He turned back to Rory. "If you'll agree. You could, of course, say no and then, yes we will find another way. But you really are out best chance Ror."

The room was still. Rory could feel the tension in the air and she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Everyone's except Stephens. He knew what she was going to say and he couldn't watch her say it. She nodded. "I'll do it."

A small sigh came from Stephen, who shut his eyes and lowered his head as she spoke. Callum nodded before Stephen spoke. "Ok. But this is the plan. Callum, you take a terminus. I'll take one. Me and Rory will approach from one side, you from another. Rory will go ahead and, hopefully, terminate it with no issue. But, if this fucker manages to do anything before she can, you or me go in and finish it while it's distracted. Agreed?"

Callum nodded. "Agreed. But there won't be a problem. It'll be ok."

"What about us?" Boo asked.

Stephen turned to her. "If neither of you hear from us in an hour, call Thorpe."

Boo nodded slowly. "It'll be fine, yeah.

Stephens voice was small. "I hope so."

* * *

The three of them stood in the tube station, ready to go down onto the platform. They had been granted access because all of them were in uniform and Stephen had asked Thorpe to call ahead to make sure they were allowed down. Stephen and Callum stood with their old phones, termini wired in, ready to go. They were just waiting for Rory to make a move. Rory stood between them, staring down the steps. "It's like King William Street again. Us three, head to head with the Ripper."

Callum took her arm and squeezed it. "And we made it back out. All three of us."

She nodded. "Yeah, but it was a pretty close call." She could almost feel the scar on her abdomen burning.

Stephen took her hand. "Ok. No time like the present. We have to phone Boo or Freddie in the next 20 minutes or they'll be phoning Thorpe so let's try and get this done."

Callum and Rory nodded as he continued. "Right, Callum you go down that way. Me and Rory will go down this way. Step onto the platform quietly. We're going to try and go unnoticed for as long as possible."

"Right, see you down there." With one last squeeze on Rory's arm, Callum went off in the other direction. Rory stared down the steps again. Stephen squeezed her hand. "Ready?"

She looked up at him with a nervous smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He nodded at her and they slowly and quietly descended the steps. Before they got to the platform, Stephen whispered. "If it's near the edge, try and draw it back to the wall."

Rory nodded as they stepped out onto the platform. They saw him instantly. Never mind standing _near_ the edge, he was standing _on_ it. Fabulous. She walked towards him slowly, keeping near the wall. She looked down the other end of the platform and saw Callum approaching, terminus out in front of him. He nodded to her as they walked towards the ghost. Rory turned back and saw Stephen following a few steps behind, his terminus out as well. She turned her attention back to the ghost who had still not noticed the presence of the three Shades. As she got closer, she raised her hand behind her back, signalling for Stephen to stop. Then she signalled for Callum to do the same. She approached the ghost alone and managed to get behind him unnoticed. He still stood on the edge and she had her back pressed to the wall so there were a few steps between them. She stood slightly to Stephens side of the platform so that when she made a noise, the ghost would turn around in Stephens direction and not notice Callum. Stephen, meanwhile, stood waiting and ready in a small recess just out of the ghosts sight.

She raised one hand out in front of her and knocked on the wall with the other. Callum withdrew from the middle of the platform to the wall as the ghost became alert. She knocked again and it turned. It turned in Stephens direction which allowed Callum to move closer unnoticed. When the ghost saw Rory, it regarded her with confusion before stepping closer. Rory kept one hand on the wall, almost as if she could grip onto the flat surface in case this ghost thought that she was light enough to be thrown. She, of course, knew that she wouldn't be able to grip it, but it was a comfort. Any port in a storm as it were.

Stephen peered out from the recess and, when he saw the ghosts attention fixed on Rory, he quietly stepped back to the middle of the platform. He and Callum continued their approach as the ghost remained fixated on Rory. But as Callum got closer, the ghost turned to face him. It's interest seemed to turn to Callum completely and Rory saw it about to make a lunge. She quickly grabbed it's wrist and it looked at her in shock as its mouth fell open. A rush of wind filled the platform and Stephen and Callum quickly backed up to the wall. Then the familiar scent of burning flowers filled the air and the ghost was gone. Rory stood where it had been, pale and shaking, but still standing. Stephen and Callum both rushed to her and took her arms to steady her in case she fell.

"I'm alright." She said. "I actually am. I'm fine. I just need some air."

Stephen pulled her into a hug, relief sweeping over him. Callum rubbed her back. "Ok," Stephen said. "Let's get out of here." They both led Rory outside and sat her down on a nearby bench while she breathed the fresh air. "Callum," Stephen said, his arm around Rory. "Could you phone the girls and tell them everything's ok?"

"Sure thing mate."

As Callum dialled Boo's number, Rory cuddled into Stephen. His voice was soft. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah."

"Because I really don't mind dropping off at Marigolds first and-"

Rory sat up and kissed him, cutting off his sentence mid flow. They stayed like that for a moment, his hand gently going to her cheek. She broke the kiss slowly. "I'm fine. I promise."

He smiled down at her. "Ok. Let's get back."

They stood and linked hands. Callum was already standing by the car. He nodded to them. "I've told the girls. They seemed relieved."

"Good, let's get home then."

Callum nodded enthusiastically. "Agreed." He pulled Rory into a hug before turning to Stephen. "I'm sorry about this morning. You know that Rory means the world to me don't you? I'd never suggest we put her in a situation she couldn't handle."

Stephen smiled. "Yeah I know. I can't help but worry though."

"Naturally. But she really is like a little sister to me." He looked to Rory as they got in the car. "I'll always look after you."

Rory smiled. "I know, Callum. I know."

They drove away, happy and relieved, none of them noticing the thin white fog that swept out of the station onto the street.


	12. Looking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorpe takes Stephen and Rory to see the new flat they could move into.

Stephen sat in the front of the car as Thorpe drove. Rory sat in the back. Thorpe has picked them up at the flat just a few moments before and was now driving them to the new place he had found for them.

As they drove, he assured them again that if they agreed to take it, they would be able to move in immediately and that the government would be buying it. He also assured them that it came partly furnished. The living room had a table and sofa, the kitchen had a fridge, freezer, cooker and washing machine alongside cupboards, the dining area attached to the kitchen had a dining table and some chairs and the master bedroom had a king sized bed, a wardrobe, a set of drawers and bedside tables. Stephen and Rory had looked at each other when they heard that, delighted that furniture had come with it. Sure, they'd have to buy some things themselves, but the basics were there.

Rory stared out of the window and watched London flash by. Thorpe said that this new place was just a 10 minute drive across the river so they couldn't be far away now. A smile crept into her face as she thought about the home that she'd hopefully soon be building with Stephen and when she turned back to look out of the front, she saw him watching her in the mirror, a smile on his own face.

As they crossed the river, Rory began to recognise the streets they were driving through. This had been the way to Goodwin's Court, where Stephen and Callum had lived during the Ripper case. They had gotten it at a step discount because it was haunted. They had taken care of that and had made it a lovely place to live. So lovely, in fact, that the owner started charging £3000 a month and it was goodbye Goodwin's Court and hello Waterloo flat. Rory began to reminisce about how nice that place had been when they started to drive through the streets not far from it. She looked at Stephen in the mirror and he threw her a confused look. When they pulled up outside of Goodwin's Court and Thorpe exited the car, he turned to face Rory in the back. He had the hint of a smile on his face. "You don't think...?"

Rory laughed. "I hope so. This was a lovely place."

Their eyes widened in wonder and Stephen left the car and opened the back door. He held out his hand for Rory like he had done the first time she came here. She wasn't sure if he remembered that or if he was offering her his hand because he always did. Whatever the reason, it was a nice touch. When they were out the car, they saw Thorpe standing at the archway that led into the Court and signalled them to follow as he walked down it. They looked at each other and Stephen broke into a laugh. He took her hand excitedly and they started to run after Thorpe.

Thorpe had stopped at the building just two doors down from the one they had lived in previously. "As I understand it," he said. "That was the building you were in before you moved to Waterloo. This one is yours. It has the same entrance method; a numeric keypad. The current passcode is 2271 but that can be changed if you wish." He typed in the number and the door opened. "The entire building is being bought so both the downstairs and the upstairs areas are yours. The downstairs area is normally for businesses while the upstairs is for living in. A humble suggestion, but perhaps you could use the downstairs area for squad work. That way, the stuff relating to the squad and the work you do could move from Waterloo to here and the team could work here through the day. That way, it won't be so cramped for them in Waterloo as they won't be living where they work and you'd still have your separate living quarters upstairs for yourselves so, technically, you wouldn't be living where you work either." Stephen and Rory looked at each other and smiled. Stephen spoke. "That sounds like a brilliant idea."

Thorpe smiled. "Wonderful. The downstairs door is just here and has a separate key to the upstairs door. These keys will be given to you should you accept the property." He gestured to the stairs. "Shall we?" They nodded eagerly and they all climbed to the living quarters upstairs. The door was unlocked for them so they entered. It had much the same layout as the other building. There was a large living room through one door and, through another, a dining area. A spacious kitchen was built onto the dining area and another small set of stairs led to bedrooms. The master bedroom was furnished but the second bedroom wasn't. Thorpe cleared his throat as they looked around. "I made sure to get a two bedroomed place for you. A bedroom for yourselves, of course, and a spare in case any little Denes join the family." He smiled at them as Rory giggled. Then she let go of Stephens hand, walked over to Thorpe and hugged him. He chuckled a little before reciprocating. She whispered to him. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome. So," he said pulling away from her and smiling. "What do you think? Do you want it? Say the word and the whole property is yours today."

They looked at each other but they both already knew what the answer was. They said it together. "Yes."

Thorpe smiled widely. "Excellent, well here you go then." He handed them two sets of keys, one for downstairs and one for up. "I'll wait downstairs for you both."

"Thank you," they both said as Thorpe left them. Rory wandered around the master bedroom before going into the corridor and looking into the other room. Stephen came up to her and rubbed her back. "So, here we are. Our own home, together, in Goodwin's Court. It's actually perfect."

She murmured her agreement and he heard her voice wobble. He turned her around to face him. Her eyes were glistening. His voice filled with concern. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

She laughed gently. "Nothing's wrong. I'm crying because I'm happy." She sniffed as she leant against the doorway of the spare room. "I choked at dinner. I was trying the hot pot. It looked nice. It was. But I choked on it. That was it. Such a little thing." She laughed again. "And now I have all of this. It's crazy and insane and mad and wonderful and..." Tears slipped down her checks. "Perfect."

Stephen chuckled as he pulled her into a hug. "Thank god for hot pot."

She laughed into his chest as he held her close. "Just wait until we tell the others where we live." Rory said. "They're going to be so jealous."

"Yep. But they'll be here a lot. Especially if we turn downstairs into an office."

He felt her nod against him. "Yeah, that was a really good idea. Not only did we get a home today, but the Shades got an actual place to work."

Stephen kissed the top of her head. "It's been a good day."


	13. Moving Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Stephen pack up their things from the Waterloo flat with the help of the other shades and make their way to Goodwin's Court.

Rory sat on the bed as she looked at the full suitcases. They had been working since that morning and Stephen had managed to pack all of his stuff in one suitcase while she had packed three. She had to borrow a suitcase from Boo and Thorpe in order to fit all of the stuff she had. She couldn't remember how it all got there in the first place. Clothes, books, photos, and other belongings filled the cases and she suddenly became very thankful that Stephen also had to take his police car so at least they had transport. That did, unfortunately, mean that they had to travel in uniform.

Boo, Callum and Freddie were also packing up things from the living room in boxes. They had been to see the new place the day after Stephen and Rory had and all had agreed that the downstairs area was the perfect place for an office. Thorpe had come by and was helping them pack the official work into his car. At least they didn't have to travel in uniform. Stephen was whistling as he transferred papers from box to box, excited to be moving. Rory was amazed at how fast they could manage it all. They only seen the flat three days ago.

Rory leant back against the pillows and glanced around the room. As excited as she was to be moving into their new home, she would miss this room and the memories it held. This was the room where she and Stephen had argued. He had hurt his head and she had freaked out. But he told her he loved her that day and that was start of everything. This was the room where they made love for the first time, both of them inexperienced and nervous but completely sure that this was what they wanted. This was the room were she and Stephen had woken from countless nightmares always to be comforted by each other. This was the room she sat in when she had phoned Jazza to tell her she was engaged and was met with excited screaming down the phone. This was the room that held so many moments of her life, good and bad, and soon it wouldn't be theirs anymore. But she smiled when she thought about how excited Freddie got when she found out she was finally going to have her own room with an actual bed.

As she thought about it, Freddie actually came into the room carrying a small pile of clothes. "Hey Rory."

Rory pulled herself out of the trance she'd put herself into. She smiled. "Hey Freddie."

"Hope you don't mind but since everything's moving round, I thought now might be a good time to move my stuff from Boo and Callum's room and put them with the rest of my stuff in here."

Rory shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Drawers are empty now except for your stuff. It's all yours." She gestured to the drawers and Freddie smiled at her before walking over. "So, are you excited? New home, just you and Stephen."

Rory grinned. "Yeah, loads. I still can't believe it's all happening." She picked up a book on the bed and thumbed through it. "Sometimes I'm scared that it's all a dream and... I'm gonna wake up and be in that house in Highgate searching for his ghost. I mean, obviously I know it's not but, still..."

Freddie shut the drawer and walked over to Rory, sitting next to her on the bed. "This is all real because of you. What you did...there's not many who could do that. In fact, I think no one else could. I admire you so much. It's impossible not to. And all of this, getting married, moving out, it's all because you were brave enough to do what others wouldn't dare to."

Rory nodded gently and sniffed. "It wasn't bravery that made me drink that crap Jane gave me. It was the knowledge that it would either take me to him or take me nowhere. I thought it might kill me. And if it killed me and there was nothing then I wouldn't be able to care. Or if it killed me and took me to Stephen, I wouldn't care because at least I'd be with him. I sat there with him, wherever it was, and I remember kissing him and thinking  _if this is it, that's fine, because he's here and he's safe and we're together._ "

"But you came back."

"We found the way back together."

"And you've been together since."

"And always will be."

"It's very romantic."

Rory laughed as she wiped her eyes dry. Freddie gave her a hug. "Smile Rory. You got him back. Everything's ok now."

Rory nodded happily. "Yeah, everything's perfect."

The door opened that minute and Stephen came in. He was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Right then. I think everything's ready to go. Are we?"

Rory nodded and stood. "We are."

Stephen smiled at her and went over to the bed to pick up his case. "I bet you're excited to get your own room Freddie."

"Gosh, yeah. I mean, it'll be weird not having you two right next door but I gotta say I'm not gonna miss the couch."

Stephen chuckled as he lifted his case from the bed and rolled it to the door. Rory looked at her three cases, trying the figure out which one to take first. She lifted the one nearest the edge and set on the floor while Freddie took another. Rory smiled her. "Thanks sweetie."

"No problem."

"Callum?" Stephen called into the living room.

"Yeah?"

"Could you come and get Rory's last case?"

She heard Callum chuckle as he made his way to the bedroom. "Sure thing."

He appeared through the door a second later and took Rory's final case with a smile. Rory thanked him and they went out into the living room, where Boo and Thorpe were holding boxes.

Stephen nodded. "Looks like a few trips to the cars."

The group murmured their agreement before leaving the flat and heading down to the cars. The official work that Callum, Boo and Freddie were transferring we're going with them in Thorpe's car while Rory and Stephens belongings were going with them in Stephens police car. Rory, Freddie and Callum pulled over Rory's three cases and Stephen loaded them into the boot next to his. Rory went back up into the flat with Boo, Callum and Freddie to get the rest of the boxes while Thorpe talked to Stephen between the cars.

In the living room, each of the four picked up a box. While Boo, Callum and Freddie made for the front door, Rory detoured to the bedroom. She stood in the open doorway looking into the room that was once theirs, now Freddie's. She thought one last time about all the memories they had made there and smiled.

It was time to move out and make some new ones.


	14. New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shades help Rory and Stephen settle into their new flat at Goodwin's Court.

They moved the boxes from Thorpe's car first. Both cars were parked next to the archway leading into the court and each of them took a box. Stephen typed in the key code while he stood on one foot, balancing the box he held on his lifted knee. The door buzzed and opened and he pushed his way inside. He put the box down on the floor and held the door open for the others. They filed in, talking about how excited they were for Rory and Stephen and how great it was that they could have a decent office now. When they were all in, he shut the door, turned on the hall light and found the keys in his pocket. He opened the downstairs door and, picking up his box, walked with the others into their new office space.

The downstairs space wasn't furnished like the upstairs one but that hadn't worried Rory or Stephen. They were just thankful that their new home had the basics. The office could wait. They could furnish that in the next couple of days but they were moving in upstairs  _now_  so that was the priority. As Rory stood there considering that, it really hit her that she wasn't going to be leaving this flat again today. She was staying here. With Stephen. Everyone else would be leaving but they were staying. This was their home now. Just them. Just her and her best friend, her soul mate, her husband. She thought about the upcoming nights where they would cuddle up on the sofa watching tv. Just them. She thought about the upcoming dances they would share when a good song came on the radio. Just them. She even let herself imagine the family they might have and raise in this home. She couldn't help the grin that formed on her face and she couldn't help the blush that followed once she really considered that her and Stephen would be  _completely_  alone, able to celebrate in  _anyway_  they wanted. They should test the bed first. She stifled a laugh and hoped that the redness in her cheeks would be mistaken for the effort of carrying what was becoming an increasingly heavy box. She realised that everyone else had put theirs down and set it on the floor. When she looked up, she caught Stephens eye. He was looking at her with a smirk. He had clearly understood what the blush had meant and he looked like he was thinking the same thing.

Freddie put down her bag and produced a few flasks of tea. Then she pulled out some cups. When she had come to see the flat, she had noticed that the kitchen didn't have a kettle yet so she took it upon herself to provide the tea. She sat on the floor and poured some cups as Rory, Stephen, Boo and Callum made their way out to Stephens car for the suitcases. She heard them rolling along the cobblestones as she handed a cup to Thorpe who accepted it with a nod and a "thank you."

The front door opened again and they both heard the suitcases being pulled upstairs. She stood and opened the office door. "Anyone need a hand?"

Rory, Stephen and Boo all said no but Callum, who was last onto the stairs, nodded. "Yes please love. I have no idea what the hell Rory's got in here but it's heavy."

They all laughed as Freddie took the bottom of the suitcase and manhandled it upstairs with Callum. Thorpe was chuckling from the office doorway, cup in hand. When they reached the top, Stephen opened the door and put his case inside. Then he took each of Rory's case individually and placed them inside. Callum spoke. "Can I have another look inside? I miss our old place and can't remember what not being cramped is like."

Stephen chuckled and stepped aside to let him pass. "Of course. You're always welcome here. When it's all set up properly, we're going to be inviting you around for a meal."

Callum nodded. "Excellent."

Freddie went back downstairs as Callum and Boo stepped inside and Stephen blocked the entrance to the flat when Rory tried to walk in. She looked at him questioningly. He took her hands in his. "I have a special plan for when the others go so you can't go in just yet, my love."

She smiled at him. "Ok. Sounds interesting."

"I think you'll like it." He leant down to her and gave her a soft kiss. She smiled up at him before they walked back downstairs hand in hand. Boo and Callum followed a couple of seconds later. When they went back into the office, Freddie handed them each a cup of tea. They accepted them happily although Rory would've preferred hers iced. They all sat on the floor drinking their tea when Stephen stood up again, laying his cup on the floor. "I've just remembered, one of these boxes is the stuff I couldn't fit in my case. I marked it with an S."

"Yep," Freddie said. "I brought that in. It's over there. It was as light as a feather." She pointed over one of the corners and Stephen went over to it and picked it up. "Thanks Freddie. Yeah, it's just some papers. I'll take this upstairs. I'll be back in a minute."

He went off upstairs while the others continued chatting. Thorpe told them all about the worrying amount of cases they were getting from the Marble Arch area and they all agreed that, yes, they had noticed and it concerned them a bit. "I think," Thorpe said, "that if there are many more, the Oswulf stone may need checked." They all mumbled, none of them thrilled at the prospect of going back into the sewers. Rory, especially, shivered at the thought and hoped that the incidents in that area had all been coincidences and that there'd be no more. "But," Thorpe continued, "we shan't discuss it today. This is a happy day."

The office door opened and Stephen walked back in asking if he had missed anything. Thorpe quickly repeated what he had said and Stephen nodded solemnly. "If the Oswulf stone is moved again, I'll have to inform the Shadow Cabinet."

"That's why," Thorpe said, "you need to be an integral part of the operation should there be one."

Stephen nodded again and quickly sat down beside Rory who had gone pale. He put an arm around her shoulder and she nestled into him. Freddie poured another cup of tea. "So," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "When does the decorating start?"

They all smiled at her, Rory gratefully so, and they all started chatting about arranging a painting party. A couple of hours passed before Thorpe stood. "Well, I don't know about everyone else, but I have business to attend to elsewhere so I shall leave you two to get set up."

They all stood and agreed that they would leave the two of them to settle in. Freddie packed up her flasks and cups and Rory and Stephen walked them all to the door. Rory hugged each of them as did Stephen and they both waved them off as they walked to Thorpe's car. Stephen shut the front door gently before locking up the office. He turned to Rory who stood at the bottom of the stairs. She was grinning, tears sparkling in her eyes. "So," he said, equally happy, "here we are. Home sweet home."

Rory giggled as Stephen pulled her into a hug before they went upstairs. When they got to the top, Stephen spoke. "Ok. Close your eyes."

She chuckled. "What?"

He grinned. "Just close your eyes."

She smiled. "Ok."

She shut her eyes and heard Stephen open the door. Then he came up to her and she felt his hands on her waist. He whispered. "Put your arms around my neck."

She did so and he kissed her before scooping her up into his arms. She laughed.

"You can open your eyes again."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm carrying you over the threshold. It's tradition."

She giggled as he carried her into the flat. Her breath caught when she saw it. Roses lined the corridor past the doors to the living room and kitchen and up the small set of stairs.

"Stephen...what-"

"That box of stuff I brought up? It was a box of roses. I told you I had something special planned."

She looked at him for a moment before looking back to the trail of roses and sighed. It was a sigh that was a mixture of a laugh and a sob. He walked down the corridor and up the small set of stairs, still carrying Rory in his arms. The roses led to the bedroom. The door was open and she saw that he had covered the bed in rose petals. She bit her lip to stop it from quivering as he laid her on the bed gently. He lay down next to her.

He spoke softly, his voice filled with love. "So, you told me in the car that you would miss the memories of our old room?"

She nodded as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Well then. Let's make some new memories."

He kissed her.


	15. Oswulf Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shades descend into the sewers once more to check that the Oswulf stone is still performing it's protective duties.

The sewer had been dark and wet. They had splashed through knee high water, crouched to avoid the low roof and often had to walk single file to make their way through the narrow tunnels under Hyde Park. Whenever they could have walked side by side, she had walked by Stephen. She had just watched him awake from the dead and, although she hadn't been able to remember the circumstances of the situation, she knew that she had been the one to wake him. There was no way she was leaving his side now. When she had panicked, he had calmed her, told her he needed her and taken her hand. And they didn't let go.

She held onto his hand now, tightly, as they wandered through the sewers once more. They led the way as Boo and Callum followed behind. Freddie and Thorpe were waiting for them above, at the Serpentine. Rory hadn't missed this place one bit. The water still came to knee height, the roof still dipped down to meet them and the walls still came in on her. And then they came to where the tunnels split. Amazingly, they seemed to remember the way. It was almost like they were moving on automatic. When the tunnel narrowed and they had to walk single file, Stephen took the front, holding his hand behind him so that Rory could keep hold.

Sometimes she lost her footing in the water and she stumbled. Callum, who came behind her, caught her, and held her steady until she regained her footing. Stephen would squeeze her hand tighter, reassuring her that he had her, that he would get her out of here safely. At one point, she placed her hand against the wall and the dampness of the brick brought back the memory of Stephen placing his hand on hers. One thing there were all grateful for was that they weren't carrying the Oswulf stone this time. They came now carrying only termini in case they came across anything in the tunnel.

That menacing white fog she remembered often swept in front of them and one of them would be ready to terminate anything that formed from it. Too many incidents had occurred now. Checking to make sure the Oswulf stone was still in place was a priority. Stephen had even contacted the Shadow Cabinet in case a relocation was needed. Rory really didn't want to move the thing again so she hoped they could solve what ever problem they faced without actually relocating the stone. Not only was it heavy, but they wouldn't know where to put it.

And then Stephen lost his footing and fell to his knees before Rory could react. She helped pull him up, checking to see if he had hurt himself. "I'm fine," he told her with a small smile. And he seemed to be ok, just wet from his fall in the water. Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep the walls from getting any closer in her mind. She felt her hand get squeezed. "It's ok," Stephens voice said. "I'm here. Do you remember what I told you the last time we were here?"

"That you needed me? That you weren't strong enough to do this without me?"

"Yes, both of which were true then and will always be true until the end of time, but I told you something else as well. Can you remember?"

She took deep breaths as she tried to play through the old reassurance in her mind. "That panic can't hurt me?"

"Yeah. I've got you." He laced his fingers through hers. "Let the panic pass."

She stood for a couple of minutes more, occasionally feeling a reassuring rub on the back from Boo or a shoulder squeeze from Callum, but always feeling the gentle, calming feel of Stephens thumb slowly running up and down her finger. She nodded.

"We all ok?" She heard Callum ask behind her and, with murmured assent, the small group of shades once more stepped slowly through the dark. When they finally reached the wall topped with bars that had stopped them the last time, they all stopped to rest. They could go no further anyway. "I think I've found the problem." Stephens voice echoed in the tunnel. They all looked towards the wall and saw the Oswulf stone lying on the ground, almost completely dry. The pipe they had placed above it 2 and a half years previously lay beside it while the occasional drop of water fell on it from above. "That's it?" Callum asked. "The shit happening at Marble Arch and Lancaster Gate is because the pipe fell down?"

"It would appear so." Stephen said. "We should consider ourselves lucky. We don't have to move the stone, just replace the pipe. And some drops from the old river Westbourne are still falling on it so some protection is there. We're lucky that the situation wasn't worse."

"That's fabulous mate, it really is but can we just put the pipe back and go home?"

Rory nodded enthusiastically at Callums idea as Stephen approached the wall. "Ok," he said as he pulled himself up. "Hand me the pipe." Rory picked up the pipe and handed it to him while Boo shone up the beam of her flashlight. "Thanks love. Now could someone hand me some rocks? I'm gonna see if I can wedge this pipe in here so it doesn't fall again."

"I'll find some," Rory said as she knelt down and felt around the ground. She found three quite large rocks and passed them up to Stephen one by one. She watched as the water started trickling steadily onto the Oswulf stone once more and silently begged that that would be the end of the issue and that she'd never have to come down here again.

Stephen dropped down from the bars, much steadier than he had the last time he did that. The last time, he had to be caught by Boo to avoid crumbling into the water completely. This time, he was sure of his footing and infinitely stronger. At least now he hadn't just woken from the dead. He smiled at Rory and nodded to the others. "I think that should be the end of it."

"Thank God," Boo said as she started leading the way back out. Stephen took Rory's hand again as they walked, glancing back at the stone to make sure the water was still falling onto it. Rory took deep breaths as she walked, trying to remember the rhyme she made up the last time she was down here. She gave up trying to recall it and focussed instead on every step she took. They seemed to get back to the ladder quicker than they had managed to get to the stone. Maybe it was because everyone was desperate to leave. Stephen called up to the outside world. "Thorpe?"

Thorpe's face appeared and looked down at them. "Good to see you all safe."

"It's good to  _be_  safe. The stones secure. The problem is hopefully solved."

"Excellent work. Get yourselves out of there. Rory's looking a little pale."

They all turned to Rory who had indeed gone very pale, the darkness, the dampness and the closeness of the sewers a little too much for her to handle. Stephen gently pushed her to the ladder. "Go on Rory, you go first."

She nodded as she climbed up, each step taking her back to the daylight above. She felt Stephens hand on her back as she started her ascent and felt Thorpe's and Freddie's hands take her arms to help her out at the top. Thorpe spoke authoritatively but kindly. "There's a bench over there. Go and sit down. No, don't worry about us, we're fine. Go."

She nodded to him as she watched Boo step onto the ladder. The bench he motioned her to was only a few feet away and she could clearly see everyone emerge from the manhole. Thorpe helped Boo out and she saw her ask Freddie something. Freddie pointed in her direction and Boo smiled before making her way over to the bench. She saw Callum come up as Boo sat down. "You alright, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just needed some air."

"I completely understand."

Stephen came last, nodding to Thorpe, who pointed towards the bench. When Stephen saw her on the bench with Boo he smiled before helping Thorpe replace the manhole cover. Callum and Freddie were already on their way over to the bench. Callum called to her. "You ok Ror? You did go really pale."

She smiled softly. "I'm fine. Honestly."

"Good, good." He stood next to her, leaving the final space on the bench for Stephen who was now walking over with Thorpe, phone to his ear. She could hear him talking as he approached.

"-situation under control. Yes...yes...yes, I understand. Goodbye."

He hung up the phone as he sat next to Rory. He put his arm around her and gently pulled her close to him. He addressed them all. "The Shadow Cabinet have told me to monitor the situation." He felt Rory tense next to him. He gave her arm a reassuring rub. "It just means I've got to keep an eye on any incidents around this area. If there's an unusual amount, I have to report it in but I don't think it'll be an issue now." He kissed the top of her head. "It's over."

"Stephen?" Her voice was soft. "Can we go home?"

"Of course."

They both stood. "I'm going to get her back home. She's still quite pale."

They all nodded. Thorpe rubbed her shoulder. "Good idea. She looks like she needs a lie down."

"Do you all want to come back for tea? We've bought a kettle."

They all nodded as they walked out of Hyde Park and back to the cars.

After a quick drive, Boo, Callum, Thorpe and Freddie sat in the dining area of Rory and Stephens flat nursing cups of tea. Upstairs, Stephen was gently covering Rory with the blanket of their bed before sitting on the edge, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah," she said, cuddling into the pillow. "Just a panic attack. Kind of wore me down."

"Will you be alright on your own?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Honestly."

"Ok. I'll be just downstairs if you need me."

"Ok."

She smiled as he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead before standing and leaving the room, gently shutting the door behind him.


	16. Painting Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While decorating the new flat, Rory and Jazza gossip about Jerome and Stephen.

The carpet and all of the furniture in the living room were covered in huge sheets that hey had bought cheap at Argos. Cans of paint sat in the middle of the floor alongside trays and brushes and rollers. In the corner of the room, a radio sat on the floor and folding chairs were open. The windows in the room were open, releasing the smell of the paint into the London air. Rory, Stephen, Boo, Callum, Freddie, Jerome and Jazza all stood at various points in the living room.

The previous owners of the property had decided on bright yellow for the walls and both Rory and Stephen felt that that needed to be rectified as soon as possible. After trying to figure out what colour would be best, they decided on white. They would then decorate the room with pictures of themselves, their friends and their families to keep it from being plain. Rory had already chosen some lovely photos taken on various birthdays, at their wedding, on their Paris honeymoon and of family in Louisiana while Stephen had also requested one; the photo of him and Regina on the beach as children. Rory remembered finding that photo and crying over it until all of her tears were gone. But that was then, this was now. She had told him that yes, of course that photo could go on the wall. It was a lovely photo.

They only had the living room to do because the kitchen was tiled, the dining room and bathroom were two different shades of light blue, both of which Rory and Stephen liked and both of the bedrooms were already white. No one bothered too much about the office downstairs. It was wallpapered with some floral patterns but there were only working there, not living there. Both Rory and Stephen had agreed that the yellow paint in the living room had to go.

They all wore old shirts and jeans, now stained with white paint. Stephen and Callum stood in one corner, Freddie, Boo and Jerome chatted away in another while Rory and Jazza stood on ladders, desperately trying to reach the ceiling. Rory looked around and saw Jerome deep in conversation. She turned to Jazza. "So Jaz, how's things with Jerome going?"

She grinned. "They're going great. Really great."

"Good. So have you...y'know, yet?"

Jazza raised an eyebrow, her cheeks flushing. "Have we what?"

Rory chuckled. "You have. I can tell from your cheeks. You look like a tomato."

Jazza giggled. "Yeah, we have."

Rory smirked. "Can I ask a question? Call it ex girlfriend curiosity."

"Sure."

She dropped her voice to a whisper. "What's he like? I mean, I know what his making out game is like but how is he when it comes to actually having sex? Good?"

Jazza laughed. "Rory!"

Rory faked innocence. "What?" She looked around to make sure no one was watching them. She had noticed that Stephen had walked over to Boo, Freddie and Jerome's corner. She turned back to Jazza. "I'll tell you what Stephens like if you tell me what Jerome is like."

Jazza practically cackled. "Deal. Jerome is very good. Very good indeed. Stephen?"

Rory smirked and moved closer to Jazza. "Unbelievable.  _Seriously_. Sometimes I'm sure the whole street can hear me."

Jazza burst out into laughter and Rory followed suit. They laughed so hard that they had to get off the ladders and sit down on the floor. Stephen and Jerome watched them from across the room. Jerome turned to Stephen with a smile. "Why do I get the feeling that they're comparing notes?"

Stephen exhaled and chuckled. "Well considering that Rory has notes on both of us, I think that we should both be afraid."

Jerome hummed in agreement. "Very afraid." They both started laughing before they turned back to the still yellow wall and slapped it with more paint. By the time dinner time came around, the room had two coats of paint and they all agreed that they should leave it to air and relax in the dining area. They made sure that the paint on themselves was dry before heading through. When Stephen and Jerome went into the kitchen to retrieve the cakes they had bought that morning, Rory and Jazza exchanged a look, biting back laughter as they did so. There were only six chairs around the dining table so Stephen gave his up for Jazza and leant against the nearby counter. He stood and watched as the others laughed, and caught Rory looking at him lovingly more than once. He smiled at her each time and, even though her clothes were stained with paint and she had flecks of it on her cheeks, she was utterly perfect.

He walked into the kitchen and signalled for Rory to follow. She stood up and walked down the step into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and she stood next to him. He took out a yoghurt as he spoke. "Y'know, we're both covered in paint. Maybe later on we should both have a shower to get it off..." He tore the lid from the yoghurt. "Together." He looked at her and winked as he licked the lid.

She smirked at him, the sight of him licking the yoghurt stirring something between her legs. She took a spoon from the drawer and dipped it into the yoghurt. "That," she said as she spooned it into his mouth. "Is a very good idea."


	17. Quiet Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory and Stephen enjoy time alone in their new flat, not having to worry about being heard.

The Shades had left the flat a few hours earlier in the early afternoon. When the living room had dried, Rory and Stephen had pulled away the covers and thrown them in the bin. The old clothes they wore were put in the washing machine and, while the clothes were washing, they endeavoured to remove the paint from themselves. Stephen had suggested taking a shower together and Rory had very quickly agreed. Yes, it had been a serious attempt to get clean after the decorating but it soon turned into something else.

They stood in the shower and washed each other, gently wiping the paint from each other's bodies. Then Stephens brushes turned into caresses while Rory washed her hair. She turned around so she was facing away from him and sighed as he massaged her back. He pushed her hair from her back and kissed the top of her spine. She dropped her head forward and to the side so that he had access to more of her neck. He caressed her arms as he placed small hickies on her neck, urged on by the quiet moans coming from Rory. He ran his hands down her arms and laced his hands in hers, both of them smiling at the sight of their wedding rings against each other. He moved his kisses up her neck to her ear and nibbled on her earlobe. His breath was hot in her ear and her breathing became shallow. She shivered despite the hot water running over her body but she was sure that the shiver was pleasure. She raised her right arm and lifted it above her head, reaching behind her to run her hand through Stephens wet hair. His kisses continued and she let her head fall back to rest against his shoulder, and one of his hands gently stroked her throat. After a couple of minutes, she turned around again and placed her arms around his neck, their lips crashing against each other's. The kiss deepened and her hand ran down his body and took ahold of his cock. He broke the kiss to breathe in deeply and she rightly took it as a sign to continue. She ran her hand up and down the shaft, lightly touching the head with her fingertips with each upward stroke. He moaned as she stroked him, kissing him as she did. "Sweetheart," he said, his voice husky, a growl in his throat, his sentence broken by moans. "If you keep doing that...I'm not...gonna last long."

"Well," she said, her voice low and seductive. "We're in no hurry. We can stay here as long as we like. In fact, I don't intend to keep doing this. I have something else in mind..." With a smirk at Stephen, whose eyes were glazed as he looked at her, his mouth open, trying desperately to catch his breath, she slowly slid herself down his body until she was on her knees and took his cock into her mouth. He scrunched his eyes shut at the feel of her hot mouth and placed both hands on the wall of the shower to steady himself. "God...Rory..."

She moaned appreciatively as she sucked him, sending vibrations through him. He groaned and slid one hand down the wall and gently took ahold of her hair, throwing his head back, moaning loudly. It only took a few minutes for his orgasm to build. "Rory...I'm gonna...God..."

She sucked harder and he came hard and fast, screaming her name. She swallowed before pulling back and slid up his body again. She chuckled as he took deep breaths before she felt the tiled wall of the shower against her back as he slowly pushed her into it. He chuckled back, his voice low. "Oh my darling... two can play at that game."

One of his hands moved down her body, squeezing her breasts and circling her nipples with his thumb while the other stayed on her cheek as he kissed her deeply. She moaned into his mouth, pressing her hips against his and feeling his arousal building once more. He broke the kiss and returned his mouth to her neck, groaning against her ear as she bucked against him. His hand moved down again with one final flick of her nipple, and slowly, gently traced her scar. He smiled against her neck as he felt the scar tissue beneath his fingertips. It just made her more beautiful. Rory let her head fall back against the tiles, enjoying the feel of both the water and his hand running over her body. She ran one hand through his hair again, the other on his shoulder. She sighed as his hand ran over her scar and down between her legs. Her breaths came to her in gasps as his fingers lightly hovered over her clit, almost, but not quite, touching her.

"Stephen, please."

He chuckled against her as his fingers made contact with her pussy and she bucked herself into his touch, moaning his name. He gently stroked her and slipped a finger inside of her, adding more at the behest of his moaning wife. He pumped his fingers in and out of her, his name getting louder on her lips.

His voice was low and his breath was hot against her ear. A growl underpinned his voice. "Yeah, you like that don't you?"

Her words came from her in gasps. "Oh god, yes...Stephen...please...yes..."

He pulled away from her ear to look at her. Her eyes were closed, flickering with each pang of pleasure. Her mouth was hanging open and each gasp she gave was louder than the last. She was, in a single word, beautiful.

Her forehead fell against his and she threw her arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly and pulling him closer. When he knew she was about to come, he pulled his fingers out and gently disentangled himself from her. She groaned in frustration, her voice ragged. "Damn it Stephen."

He chuckled and sucked his fingers, moaning as he did. "Hmmmm, delicious." He smirked at her as he dropped to his knees, lifting one of her legs and placing it over his shoulder. He looked up at her with a grin before slowly running his tongue along her clit. His eyes rolled back in his head as he tasted her, slipping his tongue inside. Above him, Rory gripped the small shelf that held the soap, desperately trying to stop her legs from turning to jelly. "Stephen...yes..."

His licks became deeper and faster as she moaned and she soon came, as hard and fast as he had a few minutes previously, and just as loudly. As he stood, he licked his way up her body, peppering small, loving kisses along her scar before travelling over her breasts, up her neck and ending with a small kiss. He reached up to the shelf and revealed the condom he had hidden there earlier. Rory laughed. "You hid a condom in here?"

"Just in case we ever had sex in the shower. It's a good job I did."

She grinned as she leant closer, putting her arms around his neck. "Yes it is." She kissed him deeply, the taste of herself still on his tongue. She sighed into his mouth before gently breaking the kiss. "Hmmm, I taste good."

He chuckled and nodded. "Yes you do." He moved to her ear and whispered as he put the condom on and lifted her legs, placing them around his waist. "You taste very good." He slid himself inside of her slowly and her fingers dug into his back as she moaned. He thrust slowly at first, teasing her, before going faster and deeper as their orgasms built together. Her voice was ragged as she spoke through her pleasure. "Stephen...yes...I'm gonna come...Stephen..."

The small growl that had been in his throat before took control of his whole voice now. "Me too...Rory...God, Rory..."

With a few final screams, they fell over the edge together and held onto each other as the water ran over them. Stephens voice was a sigh. "Well...I think the paints gone." Rory laughed as she hugged him, too tired and too happy to move.

When they did finally leave the shower and get dressed, they crossed through the corridor into the dining area and down into the kitchen. The washing machine had long since stopped and she removed the paint splattered clothes they had worn. While the paint wasn't as visible, it wasn't entirely gone so they both decided that these clothes would be work clothes. She folded them up and handed them to Stephen who went to take them upstairs. She stopped him before he left.

"Stephen?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I don't think either one of us can be bothered to cook. Or to go out. What do you think of a quiet night in with tv and takeaway?"

He smiled at her and placed the folded clothes on the dining table, walking towards her slowly. "A quiet night in with tv, takeaway and the woman I love?" He placed his arms around her middle. "Darling, I can't think of anything better."

She smiled up at him before standing on her tiptoes and planting a small kiss on his lips. "Good. I'll phone Domino's."

She walked back into the kitchen to open the drawer with takeaway menus. Stephen leant against the doorframe and watched her adoringly. "Rory?"

She looked across at him with a smile. "Yeah?"

"Have I ever told you that I love you?"

She grinned and nodded. "Yeah. You tell me all the time."

He nodded, a smile on his lips. "Good."

"Have  _I_  ever told  _you_  I love you?"

"All the time."

"Good."

She picked up the phone as Stephen turned to walk into the living room. "I'll go load a movie. Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She chuckled. "I love you too."


	18. Requiem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Worried that Rory and the squad could get hurt by a potential threat, Stephen goes to deal with the problem himself.

The house was uninhabited by the living. The squad had gotten a call in about this place. The police would often get calls from neighbours reporting strange noises coming from it and when the police investigated, thinking it was squatters, they found no one and someone would always get hurt. This information made its way to Thames house and then it got directed to the Shades via Thorpe. They had met in their new office to discuss the best course of action. Since someone always seemed to get hurt when investigating, it was decided that they go as a group. If there was anything there, they would handle it together. Stephen had been opposed to that.  _What if we all get hurt? What would happen to the squad?_  That's what he had said. What he didn't say was  _what if Rory gets hurt? How would I be able to cope if something happened to her? We've only just started our lives together._  But it been argued back that if they were all there together, they had a better chance of dealing with any potential threat. Even Rory had argued that stance, telling Stephen silently though a look that they would be fine. And then they had all agreed on the date. It was the early afternoon and Callum still had a couple of things to deal with on the Underground. They would go tomorrow. It had been decided.

It was evening now and Stephen stood in the house alone, torch and terminus held out in front of him. He had borrowed Boo's. She was visiting her parents tonight and had no need of it. Stephen had told her that Thorpe had called with some minor problem and he didn't want to take Rory. She had given him her terminus happily. She wouldn't have if she knew where he was really going. Maybe he was stubborn. Maybe he was stupid. Maybe he was protecting his wife and his friends. Whatever the reason, Stephen had kissed Rory, left Goodwin's Court and driven to the house.

There was music playing now although there were no living beings there but him. He was sure of that. He had checked the house over now. He had seen nothing. But something was here because there was music. And the music hadn't been playing when he got there. The CD player downstairs now played a Latin requiem. Music for the dead and the dying. Stephen thought it was fitting.

He crept down the stairs and pushed the door to the living room open again, conducting another search of the building. He walked into the room, floorboards creaking beneath his feet. And then there were floorboards creaking behind him. He wheeled around, terminus still in front of him. A man stood there. He was well dressed with a well kept beard. Stephen estimated that this man was from the late 19th or early 20th century. He spoke with a voice that suggested a good upbringing.

"Good evening, young sir."

Stephen nodded his head politely. "Evening."

"What brings you to my fine home?"

"This place isn't old enough to be yours."

"Indeed not, but it's mine now."

The sound of the requiem played softly in the room. "Interesting music taste."

"Yes, I'm rather fond of a requiem. Such sombre things. Quite apt for myself. They are not performed for the living, only the dead."

He stepped further into the room and Stephen took a step back. He noticed that the man kept one hand behind his back. His eyes darted from the arm to his face as he tightened his grip on the terminus. The man continued. "I've not met many people who can see me. You must have a rare gift."

"Yes...I do."

"It's lovely to be able to talk to someone. I've never managed it before."

"Well maybe if you stopped hurting everyone who came here, you might meet more like me."

"What makes you think I'm hurting people?"

"Who else would be doing it?" They were both circling the room slowly now. With each move the ghost made, Stephen moved in the opposite direction. He was still very aware that the ghost was hiding something behind him.

The ghost chuckled. "You certainly are a smart young man. I can understand why you wear that uniform. The police are certainly lucky to have such a sharp young man like yourself. I have rather a fondness for sharp things..."

His hand moved slowly from behind his back and Stephen took another step back. The knife glistened in the light of Stephens torch and his breathing grew a little heavier. "Rather fine incident some years past. I believe it to be...I think two years ago. The copycat Ripper?"

"Three years." Stephen corrected him. "It was three years ago."

The ghost nodded with a grin, placing his empty hand over his heart. "Ahhhh, my sincerest apologies dear boy. I find it difficult to keep up. I digress. I'm sure you know of the case. No CCTV footage, no DNA. Clearly a ghost. You do know of the case?"

"I was part of the case."

This seemed to delight the ghost. "Were you? Most remarkable. To think I'm talking to somebody involved in such a fine incident. Which role did you play? Were you important or just keeping an eye on things?"

"I was assigned to protect the only witness in the case."

The ghost chuckled. "Well you certainly did a marvellous job of that. Didn't she end up getting hurt?"

Stephen swallowed hard.  _Yes_ , he thought.  _She did. I was supposed to protect her and she nearly died._  "She was hurt, yes. But she lived and recovered. She's incredibly strong."

"You must think highly of the girl."

Stephen smiled softly at that. "Yes, I do. I married her."

"Awww, now that is incredibly sweet. Many congratulations to you. How sad it is that you will never see her again." He moved like lightening across the room, knife out in front of him. Stephen could barely react but managed to throw himself out of the way just as the ghost got to him. He crashed to the ground as the ghost flew against the cabinet. Stephen took that opportunity to push himself up despite the sudden heaviness in his limbs. He briefly wondered what had caused that feeling but pushed it away as he pushed the terminus into the ghost. He looked shocked and the knife clattered to the ground. A rush of air filled the room, followed by the smell of burning flowers and then Stephen was alone. He dropped his arm and glanced across at the knife. Strange...there was blood on it. There hadn't been before. And then he thought about the heaviness in his limbs. And then he felt it.

Rory had once told him that she hadn't felt the knife when she was slashed. It had hurt later but not straight away. She never really did understand why. He knew what she was talking about now.  _He_  hadn't felt the knife either. But he felt the wound. He looked down to his side and saw his white police shirt go red. The wound appeared to be on the side of his abdomen but he didn't know how deep. He reached for his phone, gasping in pain as he did, dialled and held it to his ear. "This is Constable Stephen Dene requesting immediate medical assistance. Knife wound, unsure of damage. Attacker... got away." He couldn't tell them the truth so that would have to do. It was getting harder to concentrate so he finished quickly, giving the address before dropping his phone.

He had managed to get himself into a seated position but he couldn't sustain it and he collapsed onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling as he fought to keep his eyes open. Maybe he would die here. And he would die alone. Maybe he should've waited until tomorrow and come with the others. But then he thought that coming here and dying was worth it because Rory was safe at home.  _Their_  home. But only hers if he died here. If he died alone. He thought about her smile, her laugh, her accent, her dark eyes, their first kiss, the first time they made love, the night he proposed to her, their wedding, the baby they talked about having in the future. If he died here, he would never see that smile again. He would never hear her laugh again. He would never hear her accent again. He would never gaze into her eyes again. He would never kiss her again. He would never make love to her again. She would never have his child. He didn't know how long he lay like that but as he heard the sirens approaching, he felt his eyes closing. The requiem that played on the CD player still filled the room and he thought it was fitting. Music for the dead and the dying. He placed his hand over the wound, feeling the blood seep through his fingers. He struggled to stay awake. His vision was going dark. His final thought before his consciousness slipped away, what he believed may well be his final waking thought on Earth, was of Rory and the pain that his death would cause her.


	19. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory waits in hospital for Stephen to wake up following his attack.

Rory paced the hospital waiting room, arms folded over her chest. Oh, the doctors had assured her that the injury was a surface wound, his surgery had gone well and that, yes, he would definitely live. That was good for two reasons. One, she was not losing him again. She outright refused. And two, it meant that she could kill him herself. What the actual bloody hell was he doing, going off like that? It had been decided that that particular ghost was a group job but no! Stephen just had to go and handle it himself. And she knew what he was going to tell her.  _"I couldn't put you all at risk like that."_  Yeah? Well you can't put yourself at risk like that. The doctor had said he would come back and get her when her idiot of a husband had been settled and was comfortable. Until then, she would pace until she wore a groove in the floor. She paid no mind to the people coming in with injuries, to the families waiting or to the odd ghost that passed through. None of them were important at the minute. Her hand went to the heart pendant he had given her. She could still hear his voice in her head.  _"This is my heart. I give you it freely. You can wear it happily, you can hide it where no one will find it, you can break it if that is your wish. But know this; it is yours to do with as you will and it will never belong to another. My heart has always been and will always be yours."_

"Mrs. Dene?"

She turned quickly to the doctor, her hand still clasped around the heart. "Yes?"

"He's comfortable. You can go and see him now. He's under sedation at the moment but you are welcome to sit with him."

"And he'll definitely be alright?"

"Absolutely. It appears he must've dove out of the way just in time. Instead of it being a serious injury, it's a surface wound. We've stitched it and he should be out in a couple of days."

She exhaled heavily, releasing the heart and allowing it to fall over her own once more. "Thank god."

"If you'd care to follow me, Mrs. Dene."

The doctor led her to Stephens room where he lay sleeping. She quietly thanked the doctor and was left alone with him. She swallowed hard as she looked at him in the bed. She walked over to him slowly, focussing her attention on the steady movement of his chest. The last time she had seen him in a hospital, he had a fractured leg. That wasn't serious. This could've been worse. He could easily have died. Again. And then she thought of the morning he  _had_  died. She could almost hear the machine flatlining as he had slipped away. Yep. That would just about do it. Flood gate open.

The sobs she had been holding back escaped her loudly and she crumpled to the ground, hand over her mouth. She heaved as she struggled to breath through her tears and each time she thought she was calming, fresh sobs would start. She put both hands over her face and wept into them, her whole body shaking. She screamed into her hands, not frightened or frustrated screams, but the kind of screams you make when you're breaking down. Screams of grief. And yet, he was fine. He would live. He would come home. He would recover. It would only take two or three weeks and everything would be normal again. But seeing him in that hospital bed, knowing he nearly died, that was enough to send Rory over the edge. It was just too much.

She had no idea how much time had passed but she could faintly hear the doctor telling someone that "he's just down this corridor. Mrs. Dene is already there." She barely acknowledged the door to the room opening and the two people who entered. Nor did she register the two strong pairs of arms that gently lifted her from the ground, one on each side, and sat her down on the seat next to Stephens bed with soothing whispers. She was aware of a tissue being softly placed in her hand and she accepted it without realising that she had and dried her eyes with it. When her vision cleared, she saw Callum and Thorpe watching her carefully. She gasped in the air around her, choking on her sobs. She gestured to the tissue she held and spoke to the unknown man who had handed it to her. "Thank..thank you."

"You're welcome." Thorpe replied softly. So it had been Thorpe who had given it to her. She nodded at him as Callum sat on the arm of the chair and put a strong reassuring arm over her shoulders. "It's alright love. He's gonna be fine. We've just spoken to the doctor."

She sniffed hard. "I know. It's just...it's just..." She wept again.

Callum rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "I know Ror. I know. It's alright. Shhh it's alright."

"I'm gonna...I'm gonna kill him."

Callum sighed a small laugh. "Join the queue."

She sobbed out a laugh and leant into Callum. He gave the top of her head a kiss. "We might have to wait until he's better though, sis. No point killing him when he's drugged to the eyeballs. He won't feel it."

She started giggling properly now. "Thanks Callum."

"For what?"

"Cheering me up."

"Yeah, no problem Ror."

Thorpe stood and walked to the door. "I have to go back to Thames House and report this. Callum, could you phone Boo and Freddie and let them know?"

"Sure."

With one final nod and small smile to Rory, Thorpe left the room. Callum sat by her for a few minutes more until she had completely calmed. He too watched Stephen as he slept, the memories of his death playing in his mind. He had watched his best friend die and had blamed Rory. He felt awful about that now. As he thought about the way he screamed at her, he gave her shoulder another reassuring squeeze. He spoke softly, not wanting to break the calm that had descended on the room. "I have to go phone the girls. Will you be ok?"

She nodded lightly. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

She smiled up at him softly, patting the hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. You go phone them. I'll be ok."

"Ok. I don't know how long I'll be. If he wakes up, hit him for me."

She laughed weakly. "Sure."

"Right then." He rubbed her arm once more and quietly left the room leaving Rory alone with her sleeping husband. She stood from her seat and circuited the room slowly. She focussed her attention on anything and everything. She focussed on the colour of the curtains; the same shade of blue as Stephens hospital gown. She focussed on the chairs; there were three in the room. She focussed on the people in the corridor outside; nurses, patients, ghosts. And then she focussed on the small, groggy voice coming from the bed. "Rory?"

She turned around slowly. His eyes were still closed. "Rory?" He didn't say it like he knew she was there. He was asking for her, wondering where she was. Her lip quivered as his eyes flickered open and he scanned the room. He looked so helpless and a little bit scared. She began to walk over to him, her footsteps quiet on the floor. He turned his head toward her slowly and a look of relief swept over him as she got closer. "Rory."

"Yeah..." Her voice was barely audible as she sat on the seat closest and pulled it closer still. "Yeah, I'm here." She lifted up his glasses from the bedside table and gently put them on him so that he could see her properly before taking his hand in hers.

He smiled, his eyes adjusting to the change in vision. He could see her clearly again. "You're the most beautiful person in the world."

She sniffed. "You're drugged."

"Doesn't make it any less true." He looked at her for a moment, raising his hand from the bed and touching her cheek. "You're really here...," he said in wonderment.

"Of course I am. Where else would I be?" She placed her hand over his.

"I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I was going to die."

She sniffed again and shut her eyes, the tears in them falling as she did. She spoke through the sobs that threatened to escape. "No... But you nearly did. You little shit..." She sobbed before weeping again. He tried to wipe away the tears with his thumb but she pulled away from him and stood up. She stalked across the room, violently wiping the tears away. She wheeled around to face him. She could hardly find her voice. "How could you? How could you do that to me? You knew it was dangerous and you went on your own. Do you have any idea what I would've done if you'd been killed?" The end of her sentence came out as sobs as she collapsed into one of the seats at the back of the room. She put her hands over her face and cried into them again, her whole body heaving. Stephen watched silently, a tear slipping down his own face. He wiped it away and sniffed before slowly raising himself up the bed. He winced quietly as he did so but once he rearranged his pillows, he lay back against them, sitting up in the bed. Rory was still sobbing at the other end of the room.

His voice was soft and still groggy. The drugs were making him tired but he needed her now and she needed him. "Rory?" She ignored him as she cried. "Rory, sweetheart, please." He held out his hand to her.

She raised her head to look at him, surprised to see him sitting up. When had he moved? He looked at her hopelessly, fearfully and sadly. The arm he had outstretched was a plea, begging her to take his hand. She stood silently and walked back over to the bed and put her hand in his. He closed his fingers around her hand and gently pulled her closer. She sat back on the bedside seat. She laced his fingers through hers. He spoke shyly, afraid of upsetting her any more. The tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke. "I'm sorry...I really am. I just...I just didn't want you to get hurt. I just...I have failed you so many times and I couldn't fail you again. I'm supposed to protect you. That's always been my...charge. And there have been so many times when I've let you down. I was supposed to protect you from the Ripper and you got hurt. I was supposed to protect you from people who would use your powers for bad and I couldn't. And I'm supposed to keep you safe from harm as your husband. I failed as your protector and your guardian and I can accept that, but...I can't...I can't fail you as...as your husband. I can't let you down again. I could never forgive myself." He sniffed hard as a tear fell down each of his cheeks, and he shut his eyes, squeezing her hand in his.

She watched him, biting her lip to keep from crying and moved from the seat onto the edge of the bed so that she was as close as she could be. As he wept gently, almost silently, she placed a finger under his chin and slowly lifted his head. "Stephen," she whispered. "Look at me."

He opened his eyes and gazed at her, his eyes glistening. She spoke slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. She kept her finger under his chin. "Listen to me carefully. You have never failed me. You never will. You have given me your love, your trust, your life and I have given you mine. You have never failed me as a friend, as a partner or as a protector. Since I got my sight, you have been the person who has kept me sane, the person I was always relieved to see when things got too difficult to cope with and the person that I absolutely could not let go of. I have always trusted you and I always will. With everything you have ever done for me and everything that you will no doubt do, how could you possibly fail me as my husband?"

Before he could reply, she leant into him, placing her lips on his. The kiss was soft and slow, both of them grateful that it could happen. Stephen sobbed into the kiss before placing his hands on her face, holding her close to him. Then he kissed her desperately, unable to believe that he was here and he was safe and he was kissing her. When they broke the kiss, he leant his forehead on hers, dropping his hands to hold hers. His voice was cracked, broken. "I never thought I'd kiss you again." He gasped out the last of his sobs quietly while Rory soothed him. "When I was lying there," he said when he had calmed. "And I thought I was going to die, I thought of you. I wanted my last thought to be of you. And then I thought about what my death would do to you so I fought. I didn't want to let go of my life because...my life is you."

She smiled at him. "And mine is you. Which is why I need you to promise me something."

"Anything, my love."

"From now on...everything we face, we face  _together_. Promise me you'll never put yourself in danger again. I know you have a terrible disregard for your own life but your life is mine now. We're linked, you and I. Forever. So please, look after yourself, look after me and let me look after you."

He nodded at her. "I promise, sweetheart. You and me, together."

They sat there like that, foreheads against each other's, both of them quietly thanking anything and everything that existed above them that he was alive. After a moment, she pulled back so she could look at him properly. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "So," he said. "What's the damage?"

"Fortunately small. It was a surface wound. Your stitches will heal in two or three weeks. You can come home in a couple of days. You literally have more lives than a cat."

He chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll both have scars."

"We're both used to living with scars. I've been living with mine since I got my sight. You've been living with yours since Regina died. We've both been broken."

"And we've both been fixed."

"There's nothing we can't fix...together."

"Together," he agreed. "Y'know," he said after a minute more. "You really are the most beautiful person in the world."


	20. Temperature and traffic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuck in traffic on a boiling day, Stephen wants nothing more than to get home to his wife. When he does, he finds her waiting for him in a bubble bath.

During the London rush hour, it can take much longer to get anywhere. What is normally a ten minute car journey can take an hour and God help you if you want to cross the city. Driving the best he could, Stephen could make it from one side of the city to another in 30 minutes, 45 tops. But now he had hit the rush hour. He had been driving for an hour and was only half way home. He had contemplated putting the sirens on to get through faster but that might bring out any more police nearby and he couldn't exactly tell them that there wasn't an emergency other than he wanted to get home. At yet another red light, he let his head fall back against the seat. They had had a heatwave that summer and it was finally tapering off. But today was boiling and Stephen thought he was going to melt. He wasn't used to hot weather. Even with the window open, it was too hot. There was no breeze to speak of. To top it off, the heat was making his new scar itch and he desperately wanted to bathe in cold water just to make it stop.

He thought wearily of his upcoming trip to Louisiana. He had promised Rory he would come and see her family with her. And he wanted to go, he really did. But he had never flown before so that was a little unnerving and he wasn't sure if he'd survive the heat. If today was too hot, Louisiana might well kill him. He had felt Louisiana heat before, in the underworld, but he wasn't sure how that could compare with this world. Rory had said it was pretty spot on. That had made him groan. He took a little solace in the fact that they were going mid November and Rory said that it was like England; cooler in the winter. But he had looked that up. A November day in Louisiana could still reach Celsius temperatures in the mid 20s. A cold day in Louisiana was a hot day in England. It really was no wonder that Rory struggled with the English cold. And it really was no wonder that she had never seen snow until she came to England. He groaned as he thought about the heat and drummed his fingers on the wheel. All he wanted to do was get home, kiss his wife and collapse in a heap. Maybe he would drag himself into a cold shower. Yes. That sounded good. He'd invite Rory. A cold shower with his wife. Yes. That sounded _very_  good. Now, if he could just get home at some point that evening, that would be marvellous.

It took another hours worth of driving to get back to Goodwin's Court. By the time he had typed in the number, walked upstairs and went through the front door, it was 7pm. He walked through into the living room and threw his keys down on the table. "Rory?" He called her name, loud enough to be heard through the whole flat. He sat down on the couch and let his head fall back. He waited for an answer but none came. He called again. "Rory?"

Her voice was merry. "In the bathroom!"

He rubbed his eyes and stood, walking down the corridor to the bathroom door. He knocked. "Can I come in?"

He heard her giggling on the other side of the door. "Of course!"

He opened the door and smiled warmly. Rory sat in the bath, bubbles surrounding her. "Hey," she said.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"You're in quite late."

"Traffic."

"You look tired."

"I've had a long day. And the temperature out there is unbearable."

She chuckled. "God help you in Louisiana."

"Eurgh, don't even mention it." He smiled at her before opening the shower cubicle. "What I need is a cold shower."

"Don't bother. Just jump in here with me. The waters quite cool now. It's really nice. And there's still plenty of bubbles." She splashed playfully.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her, closing the shower cubicle as he did. "Actually, that sounds wonderful."

He peeled off his uniform, very aware that Rory was smirking as he undressed himself. He took his shoes and socks off first, then his trousers, and his shirt last. Rory's smirk fell into a sad look as she saw the scar he now bore on the side of his abdomen. He glanced down at it before looking aback to her. "Sweetheart?"

"Hmmm?" She turned her attention back to him.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah..." She smiled at him. "Yeah." Her smirk returned. "Get in here."

He chuckled. "Avec plaisir, ma cherie."

"I forgot you spoke French."

He pulled off his boxers and gently lay down his glasses before he stepped into the bathtub opposite Rory.

"I didn't know you ever knew I could."

"It was on your intake form. Also, you could always pronounce Deveaux better than I could."

He chuckled as he slid down into the bubbles, sighing happily at the cold water. "I think I'll need to take a lot of cold showers in Louisiana just to regulate my temperature."

"I may join you." She winked at him and he smiled at her.

"I would like that very much, my love."

They sat, gazing at each other happily, for a few minutes before Rory playfully ran her foot over his chest. "Do you remember the last bubble bath we had together?"

He grinned as he stroked her leg. "Our wedding night. We had champagne as well."

"Do you remember what we did when we finished our champagne?"

"I think it was something like this." He leant forward as she did and they met halfway, lips coming together in a gentle kiss. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip and she parted her lips, sighing into his mouth as his tongue slipped into hers. She scooted herself forward and repositioned herself so that she was straddling him. He wrapped his arms around her middle as she wrapped hers around his neck. She spoke breathlessly. "It was something  _exactly_  like this."

He laughed softly before kissing her again, small kisses that came one after another. He brought one hand to her face to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He spoke against her lips. "You don't mind having sex in cold water do you? Because, I gotta tell you, I'm very comfortable right now."

Her voice was low and lustful, and she grinned darkly as she ran one hand into his hair. "Not even a little bit."


	21. Undecided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jerome asks Jazza if she wants to live together, Jazza remains undecided until she chats with Rory

Rory sat in Jazza's flat as she paced the room. She had watched as Jazza circled the living room, moving random things on the table. Then she had walked into the kitchen and opened and shut the fridge three times before coming back to the living room. She opened the window, left it open for 30 seconds and then shut it. Then she went into the bedroom and Rory heard the squeaking of the springs as she sat down on her bed only to stand up again a few seconds later. Then she wandered into the living room again. Rory put down the magazine she was reading. "Jazza, what's wrong?"

Jazza pulled herself out of her strange ritual. "What? Oh, nothing. Nothing. I'm fine."

"Really?" Rory raised an eyebrow. "Cause you're not acting fine. Actually, you're acting pretty strange."

"Am I?"

Rory took Jazzas hand and pulled her to the couch. "Yes, you are. Now, tell me what's wrong."

Jazza sat and sighed as she looked at the table. "Jerome's talking about living together."

Rory's mouth dropped. "Excellent!"

Jazza smiled weakly. "I thought it was too. But his place is too small and so is mine. Mines still bigger than his so it would make sense for him to live with me. Plus, he hates his flat. It's just that...can two people really fit in here?"

Rory laughed. "Jaz, if five people could fit in the flat at Waterloo, you and Jerome will have no problem living here."

"Yeah...I guess."

Rory looked at her sadly. "What else is wrong? There must be something else."

"I'm just...well, I'm a little worried. I love Jerome, I really do. Sorry if that's weird for you to hear-"

"Jaz..." Rory raised her left hand and showed her the wedding and engagement rings on her ring finger. "It's not weird for me to hear. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm in love with Stephen. I'm ecstatic that you love Jerome. So no, it's not weird."

Jazza smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Yes, I love him but I'm worried things will...change if we live together. I've never lived with a boy before."

"Have you ever been in love with a boy before?"

"No. Just Jerome."

"Trust me. It'll be fine. When you love someone, waking up next to them everyday is the best thing you could ever imagine." Rory's eyes moved away from Jazza as she spoke, a dreamy quality passing over her. "They're the first thing you see when you wake up and the last thing you see at night. You get to hold them close and be held by them. You get to talk into the night or fall asleep cradled by them. Among other things." She smirked to herself before looking back to Jazza.

Jazza was smiling warmly. "You're thinking about Stephen."

"Yeah," Rory said, grinning. "There's hardly a moment when I don't. What you and Jerome have, I've seen you, it's what me and Stephen have. And it's not something to be worried about. It's something to enjoy. And yes, things will change. You'll see each other more. You may even argue more. You'll laugh together and cry together. That's how it is for me and Stephen, albeit it's been a while since we argued. But I have no doubt that there'll be more arguments eventually. We're married, it's bound to happen. But that's a part of it. We'll always love each other more than anything. We'll always be together. You and Jerome will be like that. The question you have to ask yourself is pretty basic. Take away the worries about flat space and about things changing and ask yourself simply. Do you want to live with Jerome?"

Jazza turned away from Rory and stared at the table. Rory watched her carefully, squeezing her hand comfortingly. As Jazza stared at the table she began to smile. Then the smile turned to a grin as she turned to face Rory again. "Yes, I do."

Rory smiled. "Well then. You are no longer undecided. You and Jerome want to live together and therefore you will. Everything else isn't important. You and Jerome will be able to fit in here just fine. Besides, even if it's a little cramped, you won't care. It's better to be cramped with the person you love than have enough space alone, _wishing_  you were with the person you loved."

Jazza nudged Rory's arm playfully. "You're talking about Stephen again."

"Yes, I am. So, what do you think? You gonna do it?"

Jazza nodded happily. "Yeah. I'll call him right now."

Jazza stood to get her phone as Rory punched the air triumphantly. She watched as Jazza held the phone to her ear. "Honestly Jaz, it's gonna be the best decision you ever made."

"I know." They both waited anxiously as the phone dialled. Jazza had put it on speaker. Eventually Jerome's voice came through the speaker. His voice was upbeat. "Hey sweetheart." Rory smiled as she heard him call Jazza cute names.

"Hey," Jazza was equally as upbeat.

"Hey jerk," Rory called down the phone.

"Oh! Hey disgusting! I didn't know you were there."

"Yeah, Jazza asked if I could come over cause she wanted to talk. She decided to put the phone on speaker so here I am!" She delivered the end of the sentence with a whimsical arm flourish. Jazza chuckled.

"Well, I love both of you. What's up?"

"Well..." Jazza said, smiling. "I want you to move in with me."

They both heard Jerome gasp over the phone. "Really? Oh my god, darling... I can't wait!"

Jazza and Rory giggled. Jazzas voice was high pitched. "Good! Me neither!"

Rory stood and walked over to the window. She leant on the windowsill and gazed out onto the London street below as she heard Jazza and Jerome pan the move. She remembered gazing out across the green at Wexford, Jazza behind her talking about exams. She smiled as she thought about how far they had come. She was married and Jazza and Jerome were moving in together.

She had been undecided that dinner time. She wasn't sure what to have. She had settled on the hot pot. She thanked God for choking on a piece of beef.


	22. Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Halloween, Freddie defeats Stephen at chess which gives Rory an idea.

Rory and Stephen had gone around to visit the others at the Waterloo flat in the morning. It had been decorated with cobwebs and skeletons for the day. It was, after all, Halloween. They'd even cut eyeholes out of white sheets and hung them up. Rory giggled as she saw them. As if they didn't have enough ghosts in their life. They had all decided to go out tonight since it was Halloween and they had all agreed to start at the flat in Waterloo and pub crawl back to Goodwin's Court. What the plan from there was was uncertain. Stephen and Rory would've happily put them all up for the night but there was simply not enough room. They had both agreed to get the three of them a taxi home.

Rory, Callum and Boo had sat for three hours watching Freddie and Stephen having a game of chess. Oh yes, they had moved around to the kitchen and out to the corner shop but they always came back. Stephen had played Rory first. She was a little bit better now but still no match for Stephen. She was determined to beat him one day. Then Stephen had challenged Freddie and she accepted with a crack of her knuckles.

Three hours later, they had all seen the outcome and stared, open mouthed. Callum had dared the pair of them. The winner had to stand on the couch and declare their victory. They had both laughed and agreed. They had also placed a £5 bet on it. They watched in shock as the Knight triumphantly took the King and Freddie climbed onto the couch. "Victory is mine Stephen Dene! Your £5 please."

Rory broke first and started giggling. She clapped her hands as Stephen sat staring at the board before glancing up at Freddie with a small smile. He stood slowly and picked up his coat from the couch, taking his wallet from the pocket. He removed a £5 note from it and slowly handed it to Freddie. "Congratulations. Very good game."

"Thank you," she said brightly. "I've been practising." She giggled happily as she jumped from the couch and walked into the kitchen, high fiving a plastic skeleton as she passed.

Rory stood and walked over to Stephen, putting her arms around his neck and stepping onto her tiptoes to kiss him. "Well, you'll always be my champion."

He chuckled at her. "I'm glad."

The hours passed as such, Freddie delighted by her victory over Stephen. When 6pm came around, Rory emerged from her old bedroom with Freddie. Freddie was dressed as a witch and Rory's long dark hair gave her the idea to be Morticia Addams. She'd picked up a long black dress in a charity shop. She actually quite liked it. She had darkened her eyes and walked, hips swaying, over to Stephen. He grinned as she walked over and took her hand, bringing it to his mouth and placing a gentle kiss on it. "Cara mia."

Rory giggled. "You should've been Gomez."

"I've never really dressed up for Halloween."

"That's quite sad."

"It never bothered me. Besides," he moved around to stand behind her, moving her hair so that he could see a patch of skin on her neck. He whispered against it, his breath hot. "I don't need to dress up to be your Gomez." He placed a small kiss on the exposed skin and she shivered.

"Get a room." Callum laughed as he walked passed, zombie makeup plastered over his face.

Stephen wrapped his arms around Rory from behind. He looked over at Callum. "We have one."

Callum chuckled as he put his jacket on. "Then use it."

Stephen smiled as he whispered in Rory's ear, still loud enough for Callum to hear. "We intend to."

Rory shivered again as she giggled. Callum rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Stephen," Freddie said as she walked to the front door, next to a batgirl Boo, her own jacket on now. "I'll buy you a pint. Cheer you up after my amazing victory."

Stephen chuckled as he pulled away from Rory and picked up his coat. "Just you wait, Freddie Sellars. Just you wait. Next time, I shall show no mercy."

Rory laughed at the pair of them as Stephen picked up her coat too. He opened it behind her and she slipped her arms into it. He held out his arm. "Shall we, cara mia?"

"We shall." She linked her arms through his and they left the flat with the others.

* * *

Rory had quickly changed into her pyjamas as Stephen locked up downstairs. She hunted out their chess set, hands fumbling from the drink. She had drank a lot. She was tired and yawning. But she was also a little horny. She lay the chess set on the bed and quickly set it up before lying on her side, head propped up with one arm, facing their bedroom door.

She lay like that for just a minute before she heard footsteps on the stairs. When Stephen opened the door, he stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight. "What are you-"

"I was thinking we play a game."

"Of chess?" He came into the room fully shutting the door behind him.

"Not just any game of chess. There's a new rule."

"Oh?" He walked over to the drawers and opened them to pull out his own pyjamas. He stripped off his clothes and put on his pyjamas as she spoke.

"Everytime you take one of my pieces, you take off an item of my clothing. Everytime I take one of your pieces, I take an item of your clothing. We'll call it strip chess." She grinned at him.

He chuckled. "Strip chess?"

She nodded. "Yep. And you're a much better player than me. You're bound to be victorious."

He nodded, smirking. "Sounds like a fun game. Let me just go brush my teeth and I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting," she said seductively as he left the room again.

He went downstairs to the bathroom and brushed his teeth quicker than he had ever done before. It was still about five minutes before he got back to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he smiled lovingly at Rory. The arm she had propped herself up with now lay under the pillow, her head nestled comfortably into it. She breathed slowly and turned gently. He stood in the doorway, watching her sleep for a minute, before gently walking into the room and shutting the door. He quietly packed up the chess set and put it away. He slowly pulled the covers out from under her and wrapped her up in them. He put her bedside lamp off before walking around to his side of the bed and climbing in. He put his own lamp off and darkness filled the room. She stirred slightly and smiled in her sleep. He pulled himself close to her and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered although he knew she was sleeping too soundly to hear him. He pulled the covers up over the both of them and watched her eyelids flickering in her sleep until sleep took him too.


	23. Without the Denes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rory and Stephen away to Louisiana, Callum, Boo and Freddie are left to handle the Shades without their leader and one of their termini for two weeks

Two weeks. That's how long they would be gone. Two weeks. They would be back at the beginning of December. Two weeks. Yeah, they would be fine. It was just two weeks.

Callum drove back to the Waterloo flat with Boo and Freddie after dropping Rory and Stephen at Heathrow airport and waiting for them to leave on their plane. Rory had been excited. The last time she had seen her family was at the wedding and she couldn't wait to show Stephen around Louisiana. Stephen was excited to be going but nervous all the same. He had never flown before and Rory assured him that it would be ok. He had also spent the last hour telling Callum, Boo and Freddie to take care of themselves, to leave any serious problems until they came back if it was possible, to make sure all the paperwork got done, to phone them if anything went horribly wrong. Callum had clapped his arm and told him to relax and enjoy the holiday. "You're going to see your family," he had said to him. "Don't worry about us."

"But you guys are my family too," Stephen had replied.

"Well then, you should know by now that we can take care of ourselves."

And then they went through security with a final wave and Callum, Boo and Freddie went back to the car park. Now Callum drove quietly while Boo and Freddie chatted. His eyes were fixed on the road in front of him. Yes, he'd told Stephen to enjoy himself and not to worry, and he'd given Rory a hug and told her to have fun, but he himself was just a little bit worried. Two of his best friends were gone for two weeks and he would miss them but his worries lay in a more practical area. Never before had their leader  _and_  one of their termini left them for two weeks.

Yes, they had survived once with no termini for three weeks but at least they had a leader. The same was true when Rory had went to Louisiana for a week last year. And yes, they had survived - well,  _barely_  survived - once without their leader but they still had a terminus and that was only for a couple of days. This was a couple of weeks they were facing now. And he had to deal with Thorpe. Thorpe was a friend, true, but now he had to deal with him in a more official capacity. Stephen was best at that. That was why he was their leader. But he was going to Louisiana. For two weeks.

Callum shook his head slightly. No, it would be ok. Stephen deserved a break. He couldn't remember the last time Stephen had taken a holiday. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when he had. It was good that he was finally getting away from it all for a bit. A nice holiday away from the Shades with his wife. Completely fine. They would be fine. They would cope. Callum gripped the wheel a little harder.

* * *

The first week went by with no ghostly issues. Well, none save the normal ones on the underground but Callum could handle those fine. There were daily phone calls from Stephen which always went in the same way. "Yeah, it's great over here. It's boiling hot though. The family are fine and Benouville is...very interesting. I think it explains a lot about Rory. Are you guys ok? Are you sure? No ones died? Yes, I'm sure you would've noticed if anyone did die, but check again." Then he would say goodbye and put Rory on. She was always less worried. "It's so good to be back here for a bit. Poor Stephens struggling with the heat. Are you lot ok? Good, I'm glad. I miss you all."

There were a few minor non ghostly issues that first week. Freddie twisted her ankle when she slipped on a stair. She was lucky she didn't have a major fall because she managed to catch herself on the banister. But her ankle had twisted around violently and they were all worried that she might have broken it. After a quick examination, they realised that she had only twisted it. Callum and Boo wouldn't let her leave the flat until she could walk properly again because neither one of them wanted her to take a more serious tumble down the stairs. She lay in her bed for a couple of days before she managed to put weight on her foot without wincing.

Boo had bent down to pick something up from the floor and banged her head off of the table. Despite her insistence that she was alright, Callum took her to the hospital to get her looked at. There was no way he was leaving any head injuries, no matter how small they seemed, unchecked. The doctor at the hospital checked her over and believed her to be fine before sending her to have an MRI just to make sure, the results of which came a few hours later. She was, as she and the doctor had suspected, fine. She only had a small bump which would disappear in a day or two. Callum breathed a sigh of relief and took her home.

* * *

The second week  _almost_  went by with no problems. The days had drifted by. November turned into December and they all talked about how much they missed Rory and Stephen. Callum found ghosts on the underground as usual and Boo found them in old houses that no one could sell because of the strange things happening. Sometimes Freddie went with Callum, sometimes she went with Boo.

On this particular day, she went with Callum. They laughed and chatted as they solved problem after problem. Callum asked Freddie how she and her girlfriend were doing. Freddie responded that things were good but a little difficult since she had no idea about Freddie's life. "You and Boo are lucky like that. There's no secrets. Same with Rory and Stephen."

Callum put a reassuring arm around her shoulder and squeezed and she asked how he and Boo were doing. She saw them everyday and lived with them and things seemed fine but she thought she'd ask. Callum told her that everything was great.

When they got back to the flat, Boo was sitting on the couch, holding an ice pack to her head. She turned her head and nodded in acknowledgement as they walked in. Callum noticed the small plaster on her forehead. He pointed at it and opened his mouth to speak but Boo cut him off, waving away his hand as she did.

"It's fine, I've already had it checked. I stopped by the doctors on the way home."

Freddie walked over to the couch while Callum stood rooted to the floor. Freddie sat by Boo. "What happened?"

"Something or someone threw something at my head. I didn't see what it was but it wasn't heavy. I don't know if they were trying to frighten me or kill me. Either way, I left. I figured it would be best to handle this one together."

Callum finally spoke. "Yes, it would be. Rory and Stephen get back tomorrow. We'll take care of it then."

Boo nodded as Freddie stood. "I'll put the kettle on."

Boo looked up at Freddie and smiled. "Thanks love."

Callum took Freddie's place on the couch and wrapped his arm around Boo. "Are you sure you're ok?"

She nestled into him. "I'm fine. Rory and Stephen will be home tomorrow and then we can take care of whatever it was that hurt me together. But we'll wait a day. Let them get over their jet lag."

* * *

They gathered in the office space at Goodwin's Court. It was 4th December and the Christmas tree sat in its box, ready to be put up. There was one for the office and one for Stephen and Rory's flat upstairs. Decorations lay around the room as the group sat on the couches Stephen and Rory had bought. Boo and Callum sat on one couch, while Freddie sat on the floor playing with the decorations. Rory sat on the other couch, feet curled up under her while Stephen sat leant forward, elbows on his knees, chin resting on his folded hands. He was listening as Boo told him and Rory about the mark on her head and how she got it. He nodded slowly. "You did the right thing waiting for me and Rory to come back."

"So," Callum said. "What's the plan?"

Stephen stood and walked over to the window. He spoke as he looked out onto the street. "We go and deal with it, whatever it is, before anyone else gets hurt." He turned to face them and smiled gently. "And we deal with it together." He met Rory's eye and she smiled at him, nodding slowly.

Freddie spoke from the floor. "When?"

Stephen looked around at the group gathered. They all nodded to him. "Today."


	24. Xylophone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Stephen and Rory home from Louisiana, the Shades go to deal with the ghost that hurt Boo.

The house was new and well furnished. Clearly, the house was ready to sell but no one would buy it. People who had been to see the place reported strange noises and things moving. That's why Boo had come to investigate, to see if the strange things that were happening were down to a ghost. Then something was thrown at her head and she figured she should leave.

Now they all stood in the hallway. The living room and kitchen were downstairs, the bathroom and bedrooms were upstairs. There was also an attic. Stephen turned to Boo. "Where do you think the thing that hit you came from?"

"I'm pretty sure it was from upstairs."

"Right. Callum, take Freddie and search downstairs. Boo, you search two of the upstairs bedrooms. Me and Rory will search the final bedroom, the bathroom and the attic. Callum, Boo, keep your termini handy."

Callum inhaled quickly. "No problems there."

Callum turned to look at Freddie and signalled for her to follow him. "Eyes open Fred."

She nodded gently as they started walking towards the living room. As Rory, Stephen and Boo approached the stairs, they all heard a faint musical chime. They all stopped abruptly and looked at each other, questioning looks on their faces. The sound came again as they listened and Stephen licked his lips in concentration. The sound was followed by more chimes, different notes.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Callum asked.

Stephen furrowed his eyebrows. "It sounds like... a xylophone."

"A xylophone?" Callum asked incredulously.

"I don't understand," Rory said. "What kind of ghost plays a xylophone?"

"A kid?" Freddie offered.

"I dunno," Boo said. "Would a kid really cause all this trouble?"

"You'd be surprised," Stephen said. "I once met a little girl ghost who told me that she'd thrown her baby brother in a fire because he was making too much noise. Then her mother drowned her."

The whole group went silent as they looked at him. Callum whistled. "Well, shit."

A laugh echoed around the house. It was a high pitched laugh, the laugh of a small child. A little girl. Then the musical chiming stopped. They all felt a shiver run down them. Freddie spoke, her voice shaking gently. "Normally a kid laughing is cute but that was just creepy."

Stephen glanced at the ceiling. "It came from upstairs."

Callum chuckled darkly. "Glad me and Freddie are down here then."

Stephen glanced across at him, worry in his eyes. "After you're done down here, can you come up?"

"Yeah mate."

"Ok." Stephen nodded slowly, assuring himself that it would be ok. "Let's go."

Callum and Freddie walked into the living room, throwing glances back to the small group that slowly ascended the stairs. Then they were out of sight.

Upstairs, Stephen and Rory looked at Boo who nodded to them and they split off to search the rooms. Boo pulled out her terminus and held it front of her while Rory took Stephens hand in hers. She linked her fingers through his, gripping it tightly. They walked into the bedroom at the same time that Boo entered one of the other ones. It was empty. Rory kept checking behind her to make sure nothing crept up behind them. Then they moved to the bathroom. Still nothing. Boo emerged from the second bedroom she checked. "Nothing here," she said.

Stephen nodded and let go of Rory's hand. He leant on the landing rail and called down. "Anything down there?"

"Not a damn thing," Callum called up.

The musical chime sounded through the house again and Stephen, Boo and Rory looked up. It was coming from the attic. Rory shivered. "I don't like xylophones anymore."

Stephen exhaled and called back down. "It's in the attic."

"Wait there. Me and Freddie are coming up." Callum appeared on the stairs a few seconds later, followed closely by Freddie. When they all stood on the landing, the chiming stopped and the laughter returned. Boo looked around at the group slowly. "I really don't like it here anymore."

"So," Stephen said as he approached the hatch to the attic. "Let's do our job and go home."

Rory came up next to him as he opened the hatch and pulled down the ladder. All five of them looked up into the attic above. Rory breathed slowly. "Let me go first."

"Rory-" Stephen began.

She held up her hand to stop him speaking. "I'll go first. If it touches me, it explodes. If I get to the top before that happens I can tell you if the coast is clear or keep it distracted. We all know that the safest option is me going first."

Callum, Boo and Freddie nodded while Stephen opened and shut his mouth a few times. He searched desperately for a logical argument to her reasoning, any excuse he could think of to keep her from going in there first but he couldn't think of one. She was right. He sighed. "Ok. But I'm right behind you."

"We all are," Freddie said behind her. She smiled around at them and took Stephens hand and gave it a squeeze before she stepped onto the ladder and climbed into the attic.

The first thing she noticed was the xylophone lying in the middle of the room. There were windows here letting in some light. But it was December and late afternoon, so the light was dim. She pulled herself up from the ladder and heard Stephen coming up behind her. She quickly glanced around the room. She could see nothing. "I think it's ok for you to come up."

Stephen was in the room a second later and was followed quickly by Callum, Boo and Freddie. The room was full of various objects, pile of boxes and old furniture, and they all quickly realised that the little girl could be hiding behind any of them. "Ok," Stephen whispered. "Fan out. Cover the room and be careful."

They all walked slowly, floorboards creaking beneath their feet. Rory stopped by a full length mirror and looked at her reflection. It was a distorted view because the mirror had long been smashed and big shards of glass were missing. Just ahead of her, Stephen was giving quiet instructions. "Everyone without a terminus, stay close to someone with one. Freddie, get by Callum or Boo. I'll stay by Rory." He turned around to face her as he spoke and she watched his face change from minor worry to absolute outright terror. Her blood ran cold. He was looking behind her. His eyes widened but he reacted immediately. "RORY!"

Everyone whirled around as he screamed, including Rory, who reacted impulsively. She held out her hand.

She didn't take in much about the little girl behind her. The light enveloped them too quickly. What she did notice was the pink Victorian dress she wore, the ringlets of her hair, the dark smile she had, and the shard of glass she held in her hand, raised threateningly. She suddenly became aware that if Stephen hadn't turned around and screamed a warning, that shard of glass would've been buried in her back. And then she realised why his face had been one of terror. The little girl didn't scare him. Neither did the shard of glass. It was the sight of her, his wife, about to die, that brought about the fear etched in every one of his features.

Her arm shook as she made contact with the girl but it didn't hurt her like it sometimes did. Perhaps she was numb. The light was bright but she had known it to be brighter. And then the floral smell, the oh so familiar smell of burning flowers, filled the room. The girl was gone and she felt herself falling.

She didn't meet the ground. She felt arms around her, holding her up, holding her steady. Stephen stood behind her, his arms around her middle and when she turned to face him, she saw a tear slip down his cheek. She put her hands on his chest, holding herself steady. He breathed in deeply as his hands went to her face. After a moment of just looking at her, his arms enveloped her and pulled her into an embrace. His hand was on the back of her head and he gently stroked her hair as he kissed the top of her head. "Oh god," she heard him whisper against her hair. "I thought it was too late..."

She wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled herself closer still. Boo, Callum and Freddie stood back and watched as Stephen frantically held Rory close to him, relieved that she was alive.

An hour later, Rory and Stephen sat in their flat. Boo, Callum and Freddie had gone back to the Waterloo flat after checking that Rory was ok. Rory sat with her legs tucked beneath her, nestled against Stephen whose arm was around her protectively. Her head lay against his chest and she listened to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. It sure as hell beat the sound of a xylophone. Stephens fingers lightly caressed her arm. "Are you sure you're alright?"

She sat up slowly and looked at him. "I'm fine. I promise."

He considered her for a moment and smiled before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Is there anything you would like? Hot chocolate? Iced tea?"

She smiled softly as she lay her forehead against his. Outside, a light snow began to fall. She whispered gently. "I would like, in this order, a hot chocolate, a large meal, to cuddle up with you on the couch as we watch a movie and for you to take me upstairs and make passionate love to me."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "That can very easily be arranged my love."


	25. Young

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory reflects on her life thus far.

When Rory Deveaux was 16, her parents told her that they'd be doing a years worth of work at the university of Bristol. They said she could finish her last year of school in England. Rory was excited and she had started planning immediately. She decided on a school in London called Wexford and began watching English tv and preparing for her year across the pond. She spent countless days in her hammock with her laptop open, reading about England.

When she was 17, the time finally came to go to Wexford. She couldn't get the same plane as her parents so she went on one by herself a couple of weeks early. She was nervous about that and excited all the same. She was still young, travelling alone, and about to spend a year in a country she had never been to before. It was frightening but thrilling. She could never have expected her life to go in the direction it did.

She was young. She was only 17 and was being hunted by the Ripper. The ghost Ripper no less. She knew what the fear of death felt like though she was still just a teenager. Her life lay in the hands of the ghost hunting squad of London. They were young too. The leader was also a teenager. She should've been worrying about schoolwork and dating. Normal teenage things. But her life was far from normal now. She was only 17. She was too young to die.

She lived. She recovered. She was only 17 but she fought hard and survived. And now she was back at school. But something strange was happening nearby. She knew it. She could've gone back to having a normal life but she couldn't let go of the Shades. They knew the truth and were the only ones who did. She needed them. She needed _him_. Their leader. That other teenager who really was too young to be dealing with the responsibilities he held. He always made her feel like everything would be ok. Even after she was expelled from Wexford and kidnapped by her therapist, he got her back and promised that everything would be ok. She had kissed him. He had kissed her back. This was the kind of thing you did at 17. You kissed people. You liked people. You experienced what love was for the first time. She knew then what love was. But things just got worse. She was only 17. She was too young to lose the man she loved. He was only 19. He was too young to die.

But she had no time to mourn. She was only 17 and had to find his ghost. She would never be able to touch him again. She would never hold his hand, hug him, hear his heartbeat or kiss him again but at least she could talk to him. At least he'd still be there. She was too young to deal with this. She should've been worrying about exams, not crazy therapists and magic twins who had killed ten people and searching for the ghost of the man she had loved and lost and magic stones protecting London. She was too young for that stuff. They all were. But then she had found him and she could bring him back. She knew that it might kill her but she didn't care. She was only 17 and willing to die to be with him. She was too young to die but she wouldn't be alone if she did.

She lived. And so did he. She brought him back. They had saved London. They were only teenagers but they had done it. But things were awkward. Yes, they loved each other but they could never quite get things back to the way they were in his fathers bedroom.

When she was 18, she was still training for the squad. She was probably too young to be leaving the rest of her old life behind but she wanted to be on the team officially. It wasn't like life what be normal again anyway. But things between her and Stephen were still difficult. Yes, they talked and hung out and he protected her lovingly but she wanted to be with him properly. She was still young but she knew she was in love. And she knew that he was too. Because he had told her. By accident. In an argument. And that was it. Neither of them had had sex before. There were giggles, both nervous ones and embarrassed ones, but mostly there were gasps, moans, and declarations of love. They came together that day. And they had been together since.

She was only 19 when he proposed to her. He was only 21. But they both knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. She had said yes. She didn't even hesitate. They may have seemed young to outside eyes, and they were, but they knew more about life and death and everything in between than most others.

She was only 20 now. He was only 22. They were married, had their own home, and were decorating for Christmas. They had had some close calls this year. He had been stabbed by a ghost a couple of months before and she had nearly been stabbed by one, another one, a couple of weeks before. She ran her hand over her stomach as she thought about Newman and the scar he had left. But as she did so, her mind turned to a more pleasant thing.

The surprise she had for Stephen. But that could wait until Christmas Day. It was only a week away. She had it planned. She would bring him in here, to the kitchen, away from the rest, and surprise him. She wondered how he would react. She smiled. They were young but life was good and it was about to get better. This was going to be the best Christmas yet.


	26. Zealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas day and Rory has a surprise for Stephen

Rory had never before seen anybody so happy that they could be described as zealous. She had seen some very happy reactions from people. Stephens reaction when she said yes was one of elation. When they told everyone, they were ecstatic. When they got married they couldn't stop smiling. But zealous? Not quite. Nearly, but not quite. She wondered if Stephen would be zealous about her surprise for him.

The morning was merry. Boo, Callum and Freddie came round early at about 8am. They brought their unopened presents with them. Thorpe came by about half an hour later and commented that this much bigger flat was a better place to spend Christmas. They all agreed. Presents were exchanged and opened. Hugs and kisses were given. Christmas wishes were said. The radio was put on. Board games were hunted out for later on. Phone calls were made to family and friends. Rory put Jazza and Jerome on speaker and they told everyone that they were enjoying their first Christmas living together. Everyone was laughing and smiling. Chocolates were opened and placed on the table for everyone to help themselves to and wrapping paper was rolled into balls and thrown at people playfully. Inside her chest, Rory's heart beat quickly.

She had to get Stephen into the kitchen so she could talk to him alone. Would he like the surprise? Only one way to find out. "Stephen," she said, her voice a little too shaky. She concentrated on steadying it. "Can you help me with something in the kitchen?" She smiled at him, hoping that she was coming across as perfectly calm and natural. It seemed to work. He smiled back. "Of course."

They both stood and told the others they'd be right back. They walked through the corridor into the dining area and down the single step into the kitchen. "So what do you need help with?"

She turned to face him with a smile. "Honestly? Nothing. I just wanted a minute alone with you."

He nodded, smiling. "Ahhhh."

She put her arms around his neck as his hands went around her middle. He kissed her softly. "Our first Christmas in our own place," he said as he pulled away. "I still can't believe it."

She grinned. "What? That it's already Christmas or that we have our place?"

"That we're here. It's like we said last Christmas. We'd be married with a place of our own."

"I think I also mentioned something about having a little baby Dene."

"Oh yeah. I remember you saying that."

They heard laughter coming from the living room and she smiled as he rested his forehead against hers. They stood there like that for a minute, gently swaying to the low sound of Christmas music on the radio. Her mind turned to the surprise she had for him. She was wondering how to go about delivering her surprise but he himself gave her the opening she needed. She took it. "I can't believe we did it," he whispered. "We have a home at Goodwin's Court. Just you and me."

She grinned, tears prickling her eyes. "Yeah. You and me...and the baby."

He giggled. "You're already thinking about the baby we may have someday?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No." She stepped onto her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "I'm thinking about the baby I'm three weeks pregnant with."

She felt his chest hitch and heard the sharp little intake of breath. She kissed his cheek before she pulled away to look at him. He gazed down at her wide eyed. His lips were parted slightly and his eyes were glistening. He swallowed hard and shook his head gently. "Oh my god..."

She looked at him expectantly. "Stephen?"

His face didn't change. The look of surprise was still plastered onto his features. His voice was a whisper, disbelieving but excited. He continued to gently shake his head. "You're not..."

Her smile grew slowly, her voice equally as quiet. She nodded. "I am."

He gasped and his lips twitched at the corners. "Really?"

She couldn't help the grin that spread over her face. "Yeah."

And then his face changed. The parted lips which had pulled up slightly at the corners turned into a grin, his wide eyes blinked, and the tears that had been gathering fell as he started giggling. "We're...we're having a baby?"

Rory sobbed as she laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah...we're having a baby."

He laughed. Properly laughed, and Rory thought it was the greatest sound in the world. He pulled her into a hug, actually lifting her off of her feet and swinging her around. When her feet touched the floor again, she gently pulled away. They were both grinning. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, holding it in place with hers. "Merry Christmas."

He kissed her and spoke against her lips, thinking about the tiny little life that was growing inside of her, just where his hand lay. The tiny little life that they had made. Another tear slipped down his cheek. "Merry Christmas. And thank you."

"For what?"

"The greatest Christmas present I've ever received."


End file.
